South Sudan: Juba Teaching Hospital Support
Midwife Kits Assist in Saving Lives: Q1 2019
June 11, 2019
Odongo Bonny Oryem
Summary of Activities
- Continued to boost hospital operations through in-kind donations. During this reporting period, RMF provided midwife kits to support JTH and other health facilities within South Sudan. This was made possible through our partnership with Direct Relief.
- Maintained a high-power generator (purchased and installed last year) for RMF’s office on the premises of Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH), which can provide support to JTH, especially the main Operating Theatre when needed.
- Continued to provide a top-up allowance for one public health officer to support RMF in JTH activities.
- Maintained the efficient, prefabricated office space that we previously installed for the Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH) store and pharmaceutical officer next to RMF’s office.
- Facilitated cleaning of the hospital premises and continued to support 3 RMF cleaners attached to the Surgical Emergency unit to supplement the few cleaners maintained by the Ministry of Health (MOH), including procurement of adequate cleaning materials.
- Continued monitoring and mentorship of trained healthcare professionals on the usage of Health eVillages tablets.
- Facilitated and coordinated weekly meetings with the MOH, Health Link, HPF, UN agencies, and partners on how to improve services at JTH.
- Continued to support high-speed Wi-Fi internet services at RMF’s office on the premises of Juba Teaching Hospital.
- Installed high-speed Wi-Fi internet services at the JTH administration office, OPD, and other departments.
- Printed antenatal cards for JTH, hence reducing hospital operating costs.
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Building Update
Maternity Ward
In collaboration with the Chinese government, there is ongoing construction of a new, modern Maternity unit at Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH).
High-powered solar panels are being installed at the newly constructed Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health department of Juba Teaching Hospital.
Supplies
Expanding Care
RMF’s support of health staff and provision of supplies at Juba Teaching Hospital have helped attract a high number of antenatal patients.
The ANC unit continued to enroll women in the program using ANC cards printed and provided by RMF.
Encouraged Staff
Supporting Excellence
RMF continued to support the hospital’s human resource capacity by paying top-up allowances for eight
midwives.
RMF’s support to the Neonatal ward staff has helped motivate their work.
Background
& Objectives
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.
More
Photos
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Numbers
Served
Direct Project Beneficiaries
Approximately 500,000 people living in Juba and the immediate surrounding areas, projected from the 2008 Sudan Population and Housing Census.
Success
Stories
Margret Modong
Senior Midwife’s Story
Margret Modong is a senior United Nations Volunteers midwife who has been working at Juba Teaching Hospital’s Maternity ward since July 2017. She has seen many challenges during this time due to the lack of quality delivery kits and equipment. Margret is very happy for Direct Relief’s support through Real Medicine Foundation South Sudan. It has created a great change at this maternal and neonatal health unit.
A 28-year-old woman named Mary arrived at Juba Teaching Hospital’s maternity ward during the latent phase of the first stage of labor, with cardinal signs of preeclampsia. This was Mary’s fifth pregnancy and would be her fourth live birth if all went well.
Thanks to Direct Relief’s provision of emergency drugs and maternity equipment in the 16 midwife kits received by the hospital, Margret was now well equipped to protect both Mary and her baby from complications during and after delivery. Margret was able to closely monitor the young mother’s blood pressure variations with the sphygmomanometer and administer magnesium sulfate to minimize the risk of seizure.
The baby was too large for normal crowning, and the mother, Mary, became exhausted. At this point, Margret used an episiotomy pack to make an incision, saving Mary from a severe perineal tear and the baby from asphyxia. Mary’s newborn baby was then resuscitated with an Ambu bag. The delivery could have ended very differently if not for the medication and equipment provided in Direct Relief’s midwife kits through RMF South Sudan. Margaret and her colleagues are thankful for these tools, which help them to preserve the lives of mothers and infants.
More Reports on: Juba Teaching Hospital Support Archive
Country Page: South Sudan
Initiative Page: Juba Teaching Hospital Support
