IMPROVING RURAL HEALTH (PROJECT PAPER)

THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF TWO SUBPROJECTS. SUBPROJECT TWO WILL STRENTHEN AND EXPAND THE INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM OF THE VILLAGE HEALTH TEAM (VHT) RURAL DELIVERY SERVICE. (SEE PROJECT #683020801 FOR A DESCRIPTION OF SUBPROJECT ONE.) A TOTAL OF 24 FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES WILL BE PROVIDED. THESE VEHICLES, WHICH WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN FIVE/SIX DEPARTMENTS AND WHICH WILL ALL BE REPLACED IN THE FOURTH PROJECT YEAR, WILL BE USED TO TRANSPORT GOODS AND PROVIDE SUPERVISORY VISITS FOR THE VILLAGES, RURAL DISPENSARIES AND HEALTH CENTERS. IN ADDITION, 100 MOBYLETTES WILL BE PROVIDED TO RURAL HEALTH DISPENSARY PERSONNEL DURING THE FIRST PROJECT YEAR WITH REPLACEMENTS IN THE FOURTH YEAR. THIS WILL PERMIT SUPERVISORY VISITS IN 50% OF THE COUNTRY BY CERTIFIED NURSES TO VHT"S. A TOTAL OF 50 NIGERIAN AUTO MECHANICS AND 25 MEDICAL REPAIR TECHNICIANS WILL BE TRAINED. THIS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF VEHICLES AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BY 10%. NEARLY TWO-FIFTHS OF THE RURAL POPULATION WILL RECEIVE IMPROVED HEALTH CARE SERVICES DUE TO DRUGS AND EQUIPMENT TO BE PROVIDED TO VHT"S WITH REFERRALS TO 470 NEW OR IMPROVED HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. ALL DRUGS (E.G., VACCINE SUFFICIENT FOR 100,000 PERSONS A YEAR) AS WELL AS LABORATORY/DIAGNOSTIC AND COLD CHAIN EQUIPMENT WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED. ALL MEDICAL BOX EQUIPMENT WILL BE SUPPLIED FOR FIVE YEARS. EACH VHT WILL RECEIVE EDUCATIONAL AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS, TO BE REPLACED YEARLY, ON NUTRITION AND HEALTH NEEDS. ALL SUPPORTING HEALTH FACILITIES WILL ALSO BE SUPPLIED WITH SIMPLE TEACHING AIDS ON A YEARLY BASIS. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FUNDS TO RENOVATE 220 EXISTING HEALTH CENTERS AND DISPENSARIES. SEVEN NEW DISPENSARIES WILL BE CONSTRUCTED DURING THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR OF THE PROJECT. ALSO, TWO DEPARTMENTAL CENTERS WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN AYADEZ AND ZINDER. THESE CENTERS WILL HOUSE GARAGES AND MEDICAL REPAIR WORKSHOPS, TRAINING CENTERS, LIBRARIES, AND DDS OFFICES.