Uganda: Panyadoli Healthcare Project
New Medical Equipment Delivered: Q2 2019
August 31, 2019
Sylvia Nakiirya and Daniel Wakibi
Summary of Activities
- 22 medical personnel were trained in blood transfusion, with the goal of enhancing blood transfusion services at Panyadoli Health Centre III.
- Conducted integrated outreaches in hard-to-reach areas such as Kimogora, Cluster G, etc.
- Received dignity kits from UNFPA and monthly consignments of medicines from RMF.
- 275 (194 refugees and 81 nationals) attended sensitization sessions at the Mother-Baby Area.
- 117 Village Health Teams (VHTs) received umbrellas, solar flashlights, rainboots, raincoats, and backpacks to facilitate their work.
- Conducted a Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN), Supplementary Feeding Programs (SFP), and cooking lessons among care groups.
- Construction of a new pit latrine at Panyadoli Health Centre III is about 90 percent completed.
- Instituted an Ebola preparedness committee and continued to conduct Ebola preparedness meetings on a weekly basis.
- Conducted community dialogues on good hygiene practices in Magamaga, Congodoki, and Bweyale from June 24 to 26. 165 caregivers (22 pregnant women, 116 lactating women, 23 non-pregnant or lactating women, and 4 men) were in attendance.
- Integrated services that benefit both refugees and the host community were continuously provided. For example, RMF’s surgeon works certain days at the nearby district hospital.
- Salaries, wages, and top-up allowances for all RMF staff members were paid in a timely manner. This kept the team’s morale high.
- Carried out Continuous Medical Education (CME) sessions for all medical and support staff at the health facilities, so that team members keep sharing and increasing their knowledge.
- Maintenance and repair were promptly performed for hospital equipment, furniture, water sources, generators, etc.
- The health facility was maintained and cleaned, ensuring that the compound, wards, offices, common areas, and the entire facility are hygienic and conducive to healing and working.
- Continued to facilitate integrated outreaches. During these outreaches, community members are empowered with preventive health strategies and knowledge concerning malaria, HIV/AIDS, and more.
- In partnership with the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), ART clinic staff members were given additional training on HIV/AIDS management and also continued to conduct follow-ups in order to reduce the number of untracked patients. On June 11, 2019, the IDI trained staff on TB case management at Panyadoli Health Centre III.
- Facilitated UNHCR and partners’ coordination meetings both in the settlement and regional offices, helping to promote cohesiveness in operations.
- Continued to provide dental services to clients through the dental clinic.
- RMF procured and delivered sufficient cleaning supplies and tools, maintaining a highly motivated, well-equipped team of cleaners who continued to keep the health centers clean and neat.
- Provided sufficient laboratory supplies so that patients requiring laboratory services are tested accordingly.
- Provided sufficient stationery and printing supplies for the program, mainly to support the data department.
- Conducted nutrition assessment, counseling, and support training for people living with HIV/TB.

Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mental Health
Improving Awareness
30 VHTs received training in mental health from Nipissing University, which was aimed at equipping them with skills to identify and refer patients with mental illness. This was followed with 3 outreaches (2 in the settlement and 1 in the host community) to raise awareness on mental health. The community was sensitized on the prevention of mental illness and relapses and educated on how to provide support by referring cases to a health facility.
RMF ensured that Panyadoli Health Centre III has essential medicines needed for the management of mental health conditions.

Promoting Agriculture
Nutrition Support
Nutrition Week was held both in the settlement and the immediate host community. RMF continued to enroll malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the outpatient therapeutic care (OTC) and SFP programs. Overall, 173 new individuals were enrolled.
RMF continued to facilitate the demonstration gardens, which were set up in order to guide mothers and other patients at the facility on how to achieve a balanced diet in an affordable and easy way, at Panyadoli Health Centre III as part of our growing Nutrition department.

Comprehensive Care
Increasing Confidence
Lifesaving medical treatment and preventive health services were continuously provided to the refugee and host communities through outpatient, inpatient, maternity, nutrition, ART, and outreach services. Thanks to this comprehensive health coverage, very few lives were lost.
Persons of concern have expressed increased confidence in the health facilities as well as in RMF and the treatment being offered. During the reporting period, all patients that came to the health centers were treated, and those whose conditions were beyond the capacity of the health facilities were referred accordingly.

Surgical Theatre
Saving Lives
The program received a container of medical equipment from the HUDO Centre through Real Medicine Foundation, further boosting operations at Panyadoli Health Centre III, especially in the new Operating Theatre.
RMF has been able to eliminate unnecessary referrals to the district and national hospitals. This has been achieved because RMF now has 4 medical doctors based full-time in Kiryandongo, including a competent surgeon who is conducting most of the surgeries at the nearby district hospital. This has helped to eliminate deaths that could occur because of delayed surgical procedures and has strengthened RMF’s cooperation with Kiryandongo Hospital and Kiryandongo District’s local government.

Health Screening
Prevention and Treatment
RMF believes in immunization and encourages all mothers to bring their babies in for immunization against deadly diseases. Continuous immunization of all under-5 children living in and around the settlement was implemented through the health facilities and outreach activities.
RMF successfully celebrated World Refugee Day, during which several activities, such as Ebola screenings and HIV testing, were held. Medical screening of new refugees at Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement was effectively performed during the reporting period. Screened 58 (21 male, 36 female, and 1 gender non-conforming) clients for war-related illnesses and injuries. All 58 required medical rehabilitation.

Gaining Knowledge
Promoting Training
On-the-job mentorship is ongoing at the health facilities. In an effort to contribute to the empowerment of communities, we run an internship program.
80 VHTs were trained by Kiryandongo District Local Government on Community-Led Total Sanitation as one of the approaches to disease prevention. 28 VHTs in the settlement were supervised by PATH on the self-administration of the family planning method Sayana Press. 35 VHTs were trained by Kiryandongo District Local Government on communicable and noncommunicable diseases.

Background
& Objectives
Background
The Panyadoli Health Centres, located in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement near Bweyale, Uganda, provide healthcare services to over 100,000 refugees from Kenya, South Sudan, DR Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda, as well as members of the host community.
Objectives
- Provide medicine, medical supplies, and medical support
- Support the Health Management Information System Maintenance (staff and petrol supply)
- Maintain hygiene at clinic to Best Practice Western Medicine standards
- Enhance existing structures for Malnutrition ward and main center
- Provide cooking materials such as charcoal stoves, saucepans, utensils, etc.
- Upkeep and renovation of the health center through periodic re-painting and re-plastering.

More
Photos
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Numbers
Served
Patients Assessed and Treated
QUARTERLY TOTAL:
26,763 Outpatients
3,745 Inpatients


More Reports on: Panyadoli Healthcare Project Archive
Country Page: Uganda
Initiative Page: Panyadoli Healthcare Project