Uganda: Panyadoli Healthcare Project

New Medical Equipment Donated by HUDO Centre: Q1 2017

July 26, 2017

Naku Charles Lwanga and Alphonse Mwanamwolho

Summary of Activities

During this reporting period:

  • RMF procured and delivered sufficient medications and medical supplies to the Panyadoli Health Centres. These were delivered on time throughout the reporting quarter.
  • RMF procured and delivered sufficient cleaning supplies, which enabled the team to keep the health centers clean and neat.
  • Continuous medical education (CMEs) were fully carried out during the quarter, so that team members keep increasing their knowledge.
  • RMF recruited new staff to fill positions vacated by staff members who left the program at the end of the year. New recruits were also hired to fill newly created positions, including Nutrition Officer and Psychiatric Clinical Officer, as well as additional data department staff, security department staff, and others.
  • Medical outreaches were conducted as planned.
  • Medical screening of new refugees at Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement was effectively performed during the reporting period.
  • Repair and maintenance of program equipment was effectively performed.
  • Sufficient office supplies, such as stationery, were purchased to support the program.
  • Construction of the Maternity ward expansion and Minor Operating Theatre continued to progress.
  • Facilitated UNHCR and partners’ coordination meetings both in the settlement and regional offices, helping to promote cohesiveness in operations.
  • Salaries, wages, and top-up allowances for all staff members were paid in a timely manner. This kept the team’s morale high.
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Results &

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

New Medical Equipment

Donations from HUDO Centre

Through one of the networks that RMF has created with other organizations, we received a container full of hospital and operating theatre equipment from the HUDO Centre (Human Rights Development Organization). The equipment will be installed in the Minor Operating Theatre and Maternity ward expansion that RMF is constructing at Panyadoli Health Centre III. The items include an ultrasound scanner, dental chair, x-ray machine, beds, mattresses, an ECG machine, etc.

UNHCR/RMF Partnership

Renewal and Continued Funding

The UNHCR team conducted a verification exercise to assess the program, and the results proved that RMF is successfully and appropriately managing/implementing the program. As a result, the partnership agreement between RMF and UNHCR was renewed, and funding from UNHCR was released to RMF for the first quarter of 2017.

Support for New Facility

Nyakadot Health Centre II

At the beginning of this reporting period, RMF started supporting Nyakadot Health Centre II with RMF-funded medical and support staff to boost the facility’s performance. These staff members cover clinical work, midwifery, data management, and the security of the facility.

Expedited Healthcare

Eliminating Unnecessary Referrals

RMF has been able to eliminate unnecessary referrals to the national hospital. This has been achieved because RMF recruited 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.

New Health Departments

Holistic Healthcare

Two new health departments were fully handed over to RMF: Nutrition and Mental Health. Qualified officers were recruited to handle these departments, and they have started work.

More Laboratory Tests Offered

Regional Hub Laboratory

RMF’s laboratory team has expanded the tests being offered at Panyadoli Health Centre III. Currently, the laboratory can perform hepatitis B, hemoglobin estimation, blood grouping, urine gram stain, urinalysis, and stool tests. It is for this reason that IDI (the Infectious Disease Institute) wants to elevate it to a regional hub laboratory. All this is possible because RMF consistently provides laboratory supplies in a timely manner.

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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.
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More

Photos

Click to enlarge

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

Served

17,130 patients were treated during the first quarter of 2017.

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Success

Stories

Ayuen Manyul

Age: 1 and a half

Ayuen Manyul is a boy whose mother brought him to the health center. He was in a bad condition and vomiting. He was admitted, and the doctor diagnosed him with severe malaria. Ayuen was put on treatment immediately: IV Quinine. He started improving, and he was also given IV Gentamicin and IV Hydrocortisone, after which he was put on outpatient therapeutic treatment. He improved and started eating by himself.

Ayuen is among the young children in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement who are still suffering from malnutrition, because their mothers lack enough health education. Through our health program, RMF tries as much as possible to reach these families in their homes. RMF has taken the initiative to see that children no longer suffer from such ailments, by sensitizing communities on healthy living through the VHT system. With the RMF VHT system in place, the rates of malnutrition have declined lately, thanks also to the massive education push at the health centers and in the community outreach programs. These efforts will continue to see that children like Ayuen are saved.

Ayuen’s family was grateful to RMF for reaching out to them and for the best, compassionate care they received from RMF’s health staff. They were also thankful for the availability of medicine at the health center. The family said, “May RMF long live at the health center, even after the repatriation of refugees.”

Lodule Mamana

Age: 2

Lodule Mamana is a girl who arrived at the health center with a swollen body, fever, and vomiting. Lodule is a refugee from Cluster A. She was diagnosed with severe malaria, a mosquito-borne disease still common in the settlement. After diagnosis, the doctor immediately put Lodule on treatment: IV Artesunate 60 mg, 12-hourly for three doses, IV Gentamicin, and Diclofenac injection. After a given period of time, Lodule showed great improvement.

Mary Peter

Age: 1 Month

Mary is a baby from Cluster H in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. She was rushed to the health center when her mother saw that she was having serious complications at night. RMF’s ambulance was called in to recue Mary, and she was received very well at the health center. Her history was taken, and the doctors found that she had a complicated bacterial infection: pneumonia. Mary was put on treatment, which consisted of IV Cefradine 400 mg, IV Hydrocortisone 25 mg, and Panadol syrup 2.5 ml.

Mary is among the children affected by this infection, and she was lucky that RMF’s team came to her rescue on time, thanks to the strong referral system backed by the on-site ambulance. Mary’s family thanked RMF for being alert and saving Mary.

Rachael (real name unknown)

Age: Unknown

Rachael is the name that was given to this young girl after she was found abandoned by her parents on the outskirts of the settlement. The health center’s staff is aware that her parents are nationals living in a village called Canan. Rachael (so named by the doctors) was diagnosed with severe malaria, but this was secondary in her case. Rachael’s primary health problem was severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Since she had been abandoned, she could not eat well, but Real Medicine Foundation found her where she had been left. Rachael was put on IV Ceftriaxone 700 gm UD and IV Artesunate 20 mg, 12 hourly. Rachael regained her weight and is looking healthy again. She was also given F100 as supplementary feeding.

Shanira Iramkumola

Age: 3

Shanira is a girl who was brought to Panyadoli Health Centre III after a community outreach to identify malnourished children. Shanira arrived at the facility with a low appetite; she could not eat properly and was diagnosed with severe malnutrition after showing signs of swelling. She was given IV Cloxacillin 25 ml every 6 hours, and then she was put on outpatient therapeutic treatment and Plumpy Nut (RUTF: Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food). Shanira started regaining her appetite so that she could eat. Shanira’s family is grateful for the quick medical attention provided.