Pakistan: Nowshera Health Centre
Decrease in Services: Morbidity and Progress Report August-September 2016
November 27, 2016
Rubina Mumtaz
Summary of Activities
Update on Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Situation
The government’s stance on IDPs was always immediate attention and provision of IDPs’ basic necessities while displaced, with the ultimate goal of voluntary and safe repatriation to their homes.
According to the latest Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) repatriation reports of August 2016, a total of 179,174 families have been successfully repatriated back to their homes, leaving behind a total of 124,617 families who are still displaced. According to official sources, the cut-off date for the return of all IDPs is December 2016.
Proposed Changes
Given that the IDP population is reducing, the urgency of the need for a MCH center has lessened, because the government’s health infrastructure is slowly strengthening itself and is getting back on its feet to handle the reduced burden of healthcare demand.
RMF’s Maternal and Child Health Centre (MCH) in Taru Jabba has two key components that make its services valuable despite the changing face of the situation:
- It is the only primary level healthcare facility in the Union Council of Tarru Jabba that provides pathology lab services for routine investigations and ultrasound services.
- By virtue of these two services, patients are referred to our center by other healthcare facilities, including some private practitioners, making this a valuable addition to the healthcare service infrastructure of the union council.
RMF policymakers have decided that we should continue our operations in this area for at least one more year.
Proposed changes have been to include a small token fee for the above two services as well as an OPD consultation fee.
However, given that the average income of the local region is well below the poverty line, these token fees will be subject to only those who can afford to pay.
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Maternal and Child Health Centre
Women’s Health Services
A total of 94 women sought antenatal care, and 25 women sought postnatal services. Family planning services were provided to only 5 women during these two months. Cases for infertility were also 5 women. A total of 414 women visited the center for gynecological problems.
Primary Health Care
Hot Summer Brings Sickness
A total of 698 patients also sought primary healthcare services, most of whom were children. Given the hot summer season and the monsoon rains during these two months, the majority of complaints were vomiting (93) and diarrhea (102).
Pathology, Laboratory, and Ultrasound Services
Decrease in Services
The pathology lab conducted a total of 384 routine investigative tests in these two months. A total of 185 ultrasounds were also conducted.
The number of patients using these two services remained the same in the month of August when we introduced the fees for services. Many patients were unable to pay, but we performed the service nonetheless. Hence, the number of lab procedures and ultrasounds remained somewhat consistent with previous months. However, in the month of September, as the word spread that a fee has been introduced, the number of patients dropped to below 50 percent.
Numbers
Served
In these two months, 1,089 women and children sought MCH and PHC services at RMF’s medical clinic:
- Women-448
- Children- 641
Amongst the children, the gender distribution was:
- Boys-306
- Girls-335
When compared to the previous months, there has been a decrease in the number of patients frequenting the clinic:
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Country Page: Pakistan
Initiative Page: Nowshera Health Centre