UN-Habitat, Benadir Regional Administration (BRA), and the Danish Refugee Council today held a second ground-breaking ceremony for the renovation of two health care facilities through a European Union Funded project.
The first ground-breaking for the renovation of the other two facilities was held last week in partnership with Save the Children.
Providing support to the public health sector in urban contexts, specifically among the urban poor and displaced communities, is one of the three main action areas of UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 response plan.
The rehabilitation is being undertaken by the Danish Refugee Council in Wabari Health Center in Waberi district and Forlanini Stabilization Center in Abdiaziz. Save the Children is responsible for Wadajir General Daud Health Facility in Wadajir District and Shibis MCH in Shibis District.
“Primary health facilities were selected for rehabilitation in areas with a high proportion of vulnerable and marginalized communities. This will reduce the influx of patients at the referral hospitals so that they are able to attend to specialized cases and will improve service delivery in the longer run,” said Asha Sawyer, Project Manager.
Through this intervention, UN-Habitat and its partners will also work together with BRA towards ensuring that the health facilities in these four districts of Mogadishu meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health and Human Services and World Health Organization.
“Every year, about 32,500 patients visit Wabari while about 18,700 visit Forlanini Stabilization Center. Wadajir has not been functional for the last six years and Shibis, receives about 31,850 every year. Renovating and equipping these facilities will increase the capacity of these hospitals and serve more patients,” said Mohammed Cadow, Director of Health, BRA.
The renovation works will range from minor demolition and refurbishment of some structures, rehabilitation of others, installation of new doors and windows, tiling of floors, new roofs and ceiling installation, complete repainting among other general rehabilitation work.
Following renovations, the project will also equip these health care facilities with the necessary equipment not limited to beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, among other relevant medical equipment to facilitate better delivery of services.
Background
UN-HABITAT has been working with BRA as well as Save the Children and the Danish Refugee Council to implement the “EU Response to Health and Socio- economic Impact of COVID-19 in Mogadishu.
Within this project, this intervention is within a component that seeks to improve access to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) health facilities, and improved health care services through rehabilitated and equipped health centers to function as a temporary community COVID-19 care centers for counselling, medical treatment and referrals facilities.
The focus of this project is to ensure the effective COVID-19 response, early stabilization and recovery after the pandemic in peri-urban areas of Mogadishu and strengthens urban resilience in the Banadir Region of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Habitat.
