Adjumani Mission Health Center III gets a face uplift
Before DRDIP’s intervention, the facility’s cumulative annual admission was 873(660Ugandans, 213 refugees) and yet the unit was mind-bogglingly congested every day.
There was unbearable pressure; space and strain of health workers at Adjumani Mission Health Center III before June 2020. This was occasioned by inadequate infrastructural capacity to handle the large number of the sick; both refugees and host communities. It warranted an urgent need for intervention.
“The space factor was becoming a risk factor for the spread of diseases, moreover at a time when COVID-19 had bundled up the whole world”, says Sister Lina Jibua, the administrator.
Before DRDIP’s intervention, the facility’s cumulative annual admission was 873(660Ugandans, 213 refugees) and yet the unit was mind-bogglingly congested every day.
The Health Center had just six stances of drainable latrines and no bathing shelter- another disease trap within. The existing -provisional admission ward was located some 100 meters away from the Out Patient Department(OPD) making it quite strenuous for health workers to operate especially during night hours. The clinics within the vicinity that relied on Adjumani Mission Health Center III for referrals lost trust and started making straight transfers to Adjumani General hospital.
However, things have had a positive flip in this health center when DRDIP invested over 700 million shillings to give it a suitable overhaul. With this fund, DRDIP constructed a General Ward, two (02) blocks of 5 stance drainable latrines, and one block of 4 stance bathing shelter. Improvements in water, compound design and lighting were equally done.
DRDIP also incorporated the implementation of the aspect of Environmental and Social Safeguards within the health unit as constructions were going on. Under safeguards, stakeholders were sensitized on; prevention, mitigation and response to HIV/AIDS, GBV/VAC and child labor.
At the construction sites, Occupational Health & Safety measures were observed through provision of protective wears, hoarding of sites, signage and first aid kits. Complaints and grievances were resolved through site meetings. There was planting of trees and soft grass, flowers, appropriate stockpiling and disposal of site debris. The compound was landscaped with walkways, flowers and hedges. Land tenure for the site was secured by filling a standard land consent form to cater for unforeseeable complaints.
To-date, just a year after DRDIPs intervention, the number of admissions at Adjumani Mission Health Center III has quadrupled to a cumulative annual figure of 4,149 (3,339 nationals and 810 refugees) by June 2022.
The unit now receives one of the highest number of referrals from private clinics due to increased space for admissions and conducive environment enhanced by the project.
Sanitation and hygiene practices have highly improved with the number of toilet stances increased from 6 to 15 and a water tank installed and connected to national water grid to serve the new general ward. Solar systems installations within the facility by the project have equally improved safety at night hours.