South Sudan: Juba Teaching Hospital Support

Accident & Emergency Department, Juba Teaching Hospital: Improvements – Phase Six

January 21, 2015

Dr. Taban Martin Vitale, RMF South Sudan

By Dr. Taban Martin Vitale, RMF South Sudan
 
The improvement of the Accident and Emergency Department of Juba Teaching Hospital started in early July 2014; the work has progressed very well and by mid-December 2014 the work on all four blocks was successfully completed. The Ministry of Health officials championed by the Minister of Health Dr. Riek Gai Kok visited the sites several times and were all very pleased with the work done and appreciated RMF and its Donor for their initiative and support.
 
The MOH through its leadership promised to furnish the whole department so as to provide quality and modern services to its populations. By mid-December 2014, they procured and delivered some furniture particularly seats for the waiting area.  Due to demand, the MOH then opened up one of the blocks housing A&E pharmacy, x-ray/ultrasound, some consultation rooms and the reception for use while the other three blocks are still locked awaiting furnishing before use.
 
RMF CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs will be in the country in the second part of January and will conduct the final evaluation of the work together with the Minister of Health and the Undersecretary, Ministry of Health, South Sudan.

Contractor clearing the site after completion of most of the work

RMF’s Okang Wilson (L) pointing to the engineer (R) an area which needed some improvement

Truck loaded with debris from the renovation site ready to head to the designated dumping site

JTH Public Health Officer, Brian (R), telling the engineer and RMF team about the water drainage system in the A&E waiting area

Director General, JTH, Dr. Wani Lolik Lado pointing to an area on the roof which needed improvement

Brian showing the water drainage system behind the former lab block
 

Brian telling the engineer to make some holes in the cover plates to allow water from the surface to drain into the tunnel

Minister of Health, Dr. Riek Gai Kok, in black suit talking to Taban thanking RMF for the support

Seats procured by the MOH placed in the main A&E Department waiting area

Reception area of the A&E Department

Seats procured by the MOH placed in the main A&E Department waiting area

Fence put around the A&E Department by the MOH

A&E pharmacy now operational

Former lab block ready awaiting furnishing before return of patients to the unit

L- R: Surgical block, former lab block and the public toilet

Background

Juba Teaching Hospital, the only referral hospital in the whole country of South Sudan, is located in its capital Juba, Central Equatoria State. With an estimated population of 10.16 million basing on annual population growth of 3% from a population census conducted in 2008 and lack of proper functioning primary health care facilities upcountry, many South Sudanese have nowhere to go to but this national referral hospital. Military and police hospitals, if any, are non-functional country wide, forcing soldiers and officers to share the limited facilities with civilians.

Juba Teaching Hospital is directly funded by the central government through the National Ministry of Health, and supported by Real Medicine Foundation, Medical Mission International, UN agencies and other NGOs. Our overarching goal is to improve the quality and sustainability of medical and surgical services provided at Juba Teaching Hospital.

Objectives

  • Improve patient wards and build infrastructure within Juba Teaching Hospital starting with the Pediatric wards.
  • Assist in improving conditions for providing health care at Juba Teaching Hospital, including the policies and management of regular and medical waste.
  • Rehabilitate and/or purchase new medical equipment.
  • Provide basic medical supplies, disposables and pharmaceuticals for the Pediatric Department, complementing those provided by the Ministry of Health.
  • Organize on-site clinical training, beginning with general equipment usage.