UNICEF assists maternal, childcare services in Trinco district

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 June 2004, 04:42 GMT]
Ms Gabriela Elroy, UNICEF head in Trincomalee zone Thursday handed over a consignment of medical equipments valued 13 million rupees to government hospitals to improve the maternal and child health services in the Trincomalee district to medical officers. Eighteen motorbikes valued at 1.4 million rupees were also handed over to eighteen public health inspectors who have been serving in eighteen Medical Officer of Health areas in the Trincomalee district.

Some PHIs with motorbikes.

Medical equipments were handed over to the Trincomalee general (GH) hospital, Kantalai base hospital, district hospitals (DH) of Muttur and Kinniya, peripheral units (PH) of Tampalakamam, Padavisiripura and Pulmoddai, rural hospitals (RH) of Gomarankadawela, Serunuwara, Nilaveli and Killiveddy and central dispensaries and maternity homes (CD and MH) of Seruvila, Mahadiulwewa and Kanthalawa.

Medical equipments included Low tech resuscitator, Accoson Sphygmomanometer, metal hospital beds, Oxygen regulator, Oxygen cylinder, Endo Tracheal Tube, Laryngoscope, Ambu Bag-adults, Ambu Bag-infant, Seca baby weighing scales with carrying case, Aspirating pump-sucker and patient trolley, UNICEF sources said.

Motorbikes were handed over to eighteen public health inspectors serving in Morawewa, Muttur-1, district mental health unit, Wan-Ela, Alankerni, Soorangal, Kurinchakerny, Sinna Kinniya, Trincomalee urban Council, Chinabay, Agbopura, Galmetiyawa, Raje-Ela, Serunuwara, Somapura, Pulmoddai and Muttur areas in the district, UNICEF sources said.

Three public address systems, each worth 50,000 rupees were handed over to the Medical Officers of Health serving in Kuchchaveli, Eachilampathu and Kinniya divisions to conduct special de-worming programme, UNICEF sources said.

She said the UNICEF is continuing to support the restoration of health services in the war-affected districts in Sri Lanka. “The equipments and motorbikes handed over today are coming as part of our support to the government health system in Trincomalee district. UNICEF strongly believes that this will support you to work for meaningful changes in women and children’s lives,” said Ms Gabriela Elroy at an event held Thursday afternoon in the provincial health department premises.

Ms Gabriela Elroy hands over medical equipments to Trincomalee general hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Ms. P.K.Gnanakunalan ( right extreme).

Acting Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS) Dr.E.G.Gnanakunalan made the welcome address. He said UNICEF not only providing medical equipments and motorbikes but also assisting in the training of field staff, providing water supply to hospitals, MOH offices and Gramothaya Centres and other services. Dr.Gnanagunalan thanked the UNICEF and its Trincomalee zonal head Ms Gabriel Elroy for the timely assistance in upgrading the health services in the war-torn district. UNICEF Programme Officer in Trincomalee Mr.Sudharman also distributed motorbikes to the recipient PHIs

Ms Gabriela Elroy further said “ all our efforts aim at brining a significant reduction in malnutrition, infant mortality, and maternal mortality and under 5 mortality rates. Safe deliveries are key to achieve higher survival rates. We look for convergent approaches where all can contribute for this worthy cause to build a healthy society”.

UNICEF and the Provincial Department of Health have jointly identified following shortcomings to be in need of improvement: -

Lack of obstetric care equipment and basic hospital equipment

Inadequate transport facilities, which affects the service delivery.

Need to improve the post natal care of mothers and infants through home visits and health promotion activities.

Need to strengthen the public health education component. Without it an appropriate level of awareness among people does not adequately support the service delivery.


Quality of the service provision demands professionalism among all level of health workers starting from the minor staff to consultant level. Health is not a phenomena or status only related to medical services rather it is has a wider social dimension too. All these are indicators for quality service delivery, UNICEF sources said.

Under last years programme UNICEF supported the renovation of 11 Gramothaya Health Centers and provided 24 health facilities with water supply.

Maternity wards were improved in Kinniya and GH Trincomalee. DH-Muthur, DH Kinniya & GH Trinco were provided with a 24 hour water supply to the labour rooms plus the repairs to the sewerage systems. All public health staff was supported with quality training to evolve a meaningful model of service delivery.

“Our current year partnership with the DPDHS Trincomalee is already in the implementation phase and we are working on an ECD programme worth of 200,000 US $. This includes major renovation works at the postnatal ward at GH Trincomalee, improvements in children’s ward at DH Muthur, expansion of the maternity ward at DH Kinniya, and provision of improved sanitation facilities at OPD GH Trinco, DH Muthur, and DH Kinniya,” Ms Gabriela Elroy said.

As per the plan, 3 emergency treatment units are also approved, including a set of valuable medical equipments for emergency treatment. In addition, selected MOH divisions are supported for mass de-worming targeting a population of 175,000. This in turn will contribute positively to the nutritional status of children, UNICEF sources said.



UNICEF Trincomalee delegate head, Ms. Gabriela Elroy, hands over motorbike documents to a PHI ( L) Acting Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services, Dr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, is also seen.

 

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