Southern Ethiopia - Gwent Health Link

The link has completed another very successful trip to Ethiopia. 14 members from the link spent up to 2 weeks in Ethiopia to complete a range of activities.

This included two training workshops at Hawassa as well as a range of in-service training and donations at the exemplar health centres. The link has donated the first eRanger motorcycle ambulances in Ethiopia.

Training Activities

• CME skills workshop in emergency obstetrics and neonatal resuscitation for 22 midwives working in the rural health centres and hospitals in SNNPR
• Supported ‘Mothers of Africa’ charity in running a skills update workshop for 18 nurse-anesthetists (there are no doctor anaesthetists in SNNPR)
• In-service training for 30 health professionals at the three exemplar health centres in midwifery, child care, trauma and e-learning
• Training in 'Safe and Clean delivery' for 84 community health extension workers attached to these health centres

Support for the health facilities

Yirgacheffe, Alaba and Wondogenet Health centres 

The link has donated two eRanger motorbike ambulances (one each for Yirgacheffee and Alaba) pioneering the use of motorbike ambulances in rural health facilities in Ethiopia. These will greatly enhance the ability to transfer critically ill patients from the health centres to the hospitals. A third motorcycle ambulance will be delivered to Wondogenet health centre in the near future.

The link also donated generators, instruments for eye surgery, surgical and obstetric equipment, baby cot, training materials including overhead projectors, WHO treatment protocols, text books and CDS, children’s toys, protective wear for the staff and cleaning materials. We also fixed and updated all the existing computers and their e-learning content.

Hawassa Hospital

The link has helped set up the very first histopathology service in this referral hospital and very first frozen section service in Ethiopia. 

The link members also had constructive meetings to evaluate link activities and to plan future activities with the health centre development committees in the three health centres which included local community leaders, health centre staff and health office staff. The link also met with members of the Regional Health Bureau and the health science college. As part of our commitment to the community, we donated a microscope, computers and football shirts to the schools in Yirgacheffe.