South Sudan: Juba Teaching Hospital Support

Accident & Emergency Department, Juba Teaching Hospital, Juba, South Sudan
Completion of Improvements

May 2015

In February 2014, Real Medicine Foundation (RMF) represented by its founder and CEO Dr. Martina C. Fuchs together with RMF’s South Sudan team had a series of meetings with the National Ministry of Health officials (represented by the Honorable Minister, Undersecretary and Director Generals) and the Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH) administration on how to improve the infrastructure at the Accident and Emergency Department. Juba Teaching Hospital is the only national referral hospital in the whole country of South Sudan and being located in the capital, any input to improve services there will be perceived by the general population as a common property of the whole nation.
 
In June 30, 2014, RMF with the generous support from its Donor collaborated with the National Ministry of Health, which matched the gift of RMF’s donor and contributed additional funding, and contracted Pan Koung Ltd., a national construction company, to carry out the improvement of the Accident and Emergency Department.  The contractor started the work at the beginning of July 2014, and completed most of the work by December 2014. Being a registered national company and wanting to contribute to their new country, the contractor provided a significant additional amount of work identified during the course of implementation without amendment of the original budget. In mid-December 2014, the MOH opened up one of the blocks, housing mainly the pharmacy, radiology unit, some consultation rooms and the reception area to offer services for the growing population as the demand continues to be high.
 
Monitoring and supervision of Pan Koung’s work was continuously being conducted by the MOH designated engineer, Martin Oyo, together with the RMF South Sudan team and the Juba Teaching Hospital administration. The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Riek Gai Kok, and Undersecretary Dr. Makur Matur Kariom, also used to visit the site frequently, ensuring quality work. In February 2015, a joint evaluation of Pan Koung’s work was conducted by RMF CEO Dr. Martina C. Fuchs, the Undersecretary of the MOH, a representative from the Ministry of Housing and Physical Infrastructure, and the JTH administration. The team pointed out some areas which needed more improvement. The contractor acted swiftly to improve the interiors of the blocks. RMF paid an additional $4,000 to put weather guard paint on the exterior walls of all three blocks as this was not stipulated in the original contract.
 
The Ministry of Health through its leadership, H.E. Dr. Riek Gai Kok, procured and started to deliver furniture, medical equipment, and beds and mattresses to the Accident and Emergency Department in April 2015, and contracted a private cleaning company to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the Department as well as the whole hospital. 
 
Patients will be now moved into the A&E Department and an inauguration celebration is planned for the near future.

Project Photos

(L) R-L Dr. Martina Fuchs, Undersecretary MOH, Surveyor from Ministry of Housing during joint evaluation; (R) R-L Jacob, a Pan Koung engineer and RMF's Okang Wilson discussing some areas which needed more improvement

(L) RMF's Taban Vitale (R) touring the A&E Department with a medical team from the US; Taban in the A&E dispensing pharmacy — the staff are greatful for the improvement

(above and below) Interior of several rooms after repainting the areas identified during evaluation



(L) Interior of one of the rooms after repainting the areas identified during evaluation; (R) Well painted shelf in one of the nursing stations

(L, R) Exterior wall of surgical block after repainting with weather guard paint

(L) Exterior wall of surgical block after repainting with weather guard paint; (R) Exterior wall of medical block painted with weather guard paint

(L) R – surgical block, L – medical block; (R) Exterior wall of the block housing pharmacy, radiology, consultation rooms, operating theaters

(L) Exterior wall of former lab block after repainting with weather guard paint; (R) A janitor washing the exterior wall of surgical block after repainting with weather guard paint

(L) Triage area, also used for resuscitation of critcally ill patients; (R) Well-cleaned triage areas, flow of patients now controlled to ensure privacy

(L) A truck delivering beds procured by MOH; (L) R, marketing manager of SINCO Medical Supplies, company contracted by MOH to supply the A&E department

(L) SINCO staff in front of the mattresses they supplied; (R) R-L SMO, DG, MOH representative, Marketing Manager, SINCO & technician assembling the bed

(L) Technicians assembling the beds; (R) Assembled beds in one of the rooms

(L) Beds and mattresses in medical unit of A&E Department; (R) waste collection bins procured by MOH

(L) Operating tables in one of the theaters procured by MOH; (R) Weighing scales and furniture procured by MOH

(L) Examination bed and screen procured by MOH; (R) Patient trolleys procured by MOH

Janitors contracted by MOH cleaning the A&E Department