Improved health in West Nile through Swedish support
Rebecca 4 years old has just recovered from severe malaria. Her mother explains that they arrived from South Sudan one year ago. They now live in the world’s biggest refugee settlement, Bidibidi. Despite having few livelihood opportunities they are at least safe.
Last week the Embassy of Sweden went on a field visit to West Nile together with UNICEF. The purpose of the visit was to follow up UNICEF’s health activities focusing on improving maternal newborn and child health, targeting both refugees and the host community in eight districts. Sweden has supported the project since January this year. The Embassy met with several of UNICEF’s implementing partners, including districts and NGOs, and visited Regional Referral Hospitals and health facilities in refugee-receiving areas.
Sweden’s support to UNICEF aims specifically at strengthening the capacity of the district health teams to plan for, coordinate and provide services aiming at improving the health of mothers, newborn and children.
In Ocea health facility II in Rhino camp the target population has doubled in one year. Rose, the in-charge, explains: “We used to be only two nurses working here. Now there are 28 trained staff, we are conducting deliveries, providing HIV/AIDS services and receiving many in-patients”.
Still there are many challenges. Shortages of drugs, blood, and women coming too late for delivery are only some. Child marriages are common with increased teenage pregnancies as a result. The temporary health facilities set up for the refugee response are in a very bad condition and need to be replaced by permanent structures.
Despite the many challenges UNICEF is doing a great job supporting the district to provide improved health services for the growing population.
During 2016 – 2017 Sweden has provided 21.4 million USD to the refugee response in Uganda and plans to support various partners with an additional 5.7 million USD before the end of the year.