South Sudan: Juba Teaching Hospital Support

Improved Maternal Outcomes: Q4 2017

February 15, 2018

Dr. Taban Martin Vitale

Summary of Activities
  • Funded the installation of a prefabricated office space for the Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH)
    Pharmaceutical unit, following a request placed by JTH administration after the displacement of the
    unit due to ongoing construction within the hospital.
  • Conducted three days of training on Respectful Health Care (RHC) and Psychological First Aid for
    the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) midwives and JCONAM students working in the Maternity
    department of Juba Teaching Hospital.
  • Continued to support the hospital’s human resources by paying the monthly salary of a highly
    experienced, registered midwife who is heading the Maternity department of Juba Teaching Hospital
    (JTH).
  • Supported the hospital’s human resource capacity by providing one RMF registered nurse, now
    serving in the Gynecology department.
  • Facilitated cleaning of the hospital premises and continued to support 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 meetings with the MOH, Health Link, UN agencies, and partners on how
    to improve services at JTH.
  • Continued to support high-speed Wi-Fi internet service at RMF’s office on the premises of Juba
    Teaching Hospital.
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Results &

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Tablet

Health eVillages Tablets

Increasing Quality of Care

The two Health eVillages (HeV) master trainers, along with Juba Teaching Hospital’s nurses, midwives, and doctors, continued to benefit from the HeV tablets. JTH staff is now able to do quick reference checks, hence improving the quality of care and general services they provide and ensuring evidence based medical services guided by the information preloaded in the tablets.

Equipping Midwives

Improved Maternal Outcomes

The UNV midwives in the Maternity ward have become master trainers after receiving three days of training on Respectful Health Care (RHC) and Psychological First Aid. They are implementing the concepts of RHC/Psychological First Aid and mentoring JCONAM students during their clinical placement.

Additionally, RMF supported a registered midwife who continued to serve the whole Maternity unit and mentor students from JCONAM. This has positively changed maternal outcomes at Juba Teaching Hospital.

New Infrastructure

Many Repairs and Improvements

The following improvements have been made this quarter:

  • In collaboration with the Chinese government, there is ongoing construction of a new, modern Maternity unit at Juba Teaching Hospital.
  • An improved RMF storage facility now provides a safe space for storing nutrition and health supplies.
  • The repaired hospital septic tank has reduced WASH-related infections and is eliminating a public health hazard.
  • The Pharmaceutical department of Juba Teaching Hospital now has an office space following the installation of a prefabricated unit by RMF.

Improving Hygiene

Waste management support

RMF facilitated and performed regular monitoring and supportive supervision of JTH healthcare workers and janitors on implementation of waste management policy guidelines.

Monthly provision of adequate cleaning materials were sent to the Surgical Emergency unit, and we supported three cleaners to ensure proper cleaning and maintenance of hygiene in the wards and the surroundings.

Continued Program Support

Staffing and High-Speed Wi-Fi

RMF supported one registered nurse, posted in the Gynecology department by Juba Teaching Hospital’s management, to bridge the staffing gap in the unit and share her expertise. The ANC unit continued to enroll women in the program using ANC cards printed and provided by RMF.

We continued to support high-speed Wi-Fi internet service at RMF’s Juba office, providing internet access to Juba Teaching Hospital’s doctors and nurses and RMF’s team.

Dental Unit

New Location

One block of the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department upgraded by RMF is now assigned and
occupied by the Dental unit of the hospital. The unit is now providing care in a well-maintained
structure with effective infection control measures.

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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.
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More

Photos

Click to enlarge

Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
Real Medicine Foundation - more photos.
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Numbers

Served

Direct Beneficiaries

  • Approximately 444,680 people living in Juba and the immediate
    surrounding areas, projected from the 2008 Sudan Population and Housing Census.
  • Students from JCONAM, Juba Nursing School, Juba Health Science Training Institute, and the
    Central Equatoria School of Nursing/Midwifery and Juba University College of Medicine.

Indirect Beneficiaries

  • 10.46 million South Sudanese from all ten states, as per the 2008 Sudan Population and Housing
    Census. Juba Teaching Hospital is the only national referral hospital for the entire country.
  • All business communities from neighboring and other African countries, the working class from
    NGO/INGOs, and UN Agencies etc.