Emergency medical care, Central Region Somalia : final report

Because of civil strife, the medical infrastructure in the region had broken down. Professional staff had dispersed, health facilities had been looted and destroyed, and incidence of infectious disease and infant mortality had accelerated. ADRA implemented the project in cooperation with SAACID, an indigenous voluntary organization active in food relief. A semi-destroyed rural hospital building was rehabilitated, and a health team consisting of three doctors (one expatriate and two nationals) and two nurses was mobilized immediately. They, in turn, mobilized the local paramedic staff to begin operation of an outpatient clinic, an emergency room and a basic pharmacy; a mobile clinic visited remote villages on a routine basis. The hospital has been expanded to include an inpatient department (with a total of 17 beds), clinical laboratory, a larger pharmacy, and a hospital kitchen. At the community level, a crucial step has been taken with training of village health workers and opening of community health posts. Services at the hospital and/or health post level include: maternal/child health care; immunization; general medicine; emergency procedures; surgery; and ophthalmology and TB clinics. These elements have encouraged the return of many displaced families to their native villages.