Medical Support Program
In response to Government Aid appeal during 2010 devastating floods, PEI with help of expatriate Pakistanis and other US and Canadian charities raised Medical, Surgical Supplies and hospital use disposable supplies besides some instruments and patient care small equipments. After the flood emergency situation this Goods In Kind program kept evolving and PEI redefine it to overall improved health delivery system.
Objective: PEI aim to improve access to health care and community satisfaction through its Medical Support Program.
PEI has signed MoUs with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Govt, Baluchistan Govt, PDMA, FDMA and Social Welfare Special Education & Women Empowerment Department KP to improve the overall health delivery system by providing support of medical and surgical supplies. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa launched this biggest public-private partnership of the province called PEI Medical Support Programme.
Methodology:
Health Facilities Assessment: A need assessment was carried out in two Provinces, in 10 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 4 districts of Baluchistan comprising 2,269,6 sqkm and 13,628 sqkm area respectively before supplies were distributed to the government health facilities. A form has been designed with support of WHO and vetted by Health Department of KP.
Social Organizer hired to conduct assessment of each facility in the target districts covering basic information about health facility infrastructure, Services Delivery System, available health services, no. of Staffing & Capacity levels, OPD, Admission facility, emergency coverage, delivery and Maternal Child Health situation, Nutrition & Micro-nutrition availability, Water Sanitation & Hygiene, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) coverage, growth monitoring under 5years, TT Coverage during pregnancy, support & referral system, Health Equipments available & needs, Medicines and number of LHW’s attached to the health facility.
Community Mobilization: It is the vital part of Medical Support Program focusing primarily on working with the poor and disadvantage. It is a participatory process to raise awareness, mobilize and involve local institution and communities to organize for collective action towards a common vision and sustainability. Health Awareness Management Committees (HAMC) formed in target districts were sensitized about health and hygiene issues, availability & utility of the services in health facilities, encouraging EPI coverage, improving referral system, feedback and helping in resolution of conflict among the health services providers and general public.
PEI initiated a dialogue with the community to identify the activist, need identification, village mapping to form HAMC in area. Office bearer trainings, activist training, awareness sessions on PEI interventions has been provided to community.
Supply Chain Management: PEI collected medical and surgical supplies with the help of Hope International Development Agency, Canada. These supplies are stored in warehouse from where further distribution carried out.
Quality medical and surgical supplies have been distributed to the various health facilities of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, basing on the need assessment. PEI Supply Chain Management and Implementation Unit were involved in the process. They have close coordination with the facilities in charge, store keepers and health department.
Training and Capacity Building:
Health Service providers has been trained for effective and efficient utilization of provided medical and surgical supplies. Broadly these trainings comprise of health hygiene which is improved by provision of hygiene kits which comprise of alcohol swabs, paper towel, povidine etc.
Prevention of infectious diseases by providing disposable gown, gloves, mask, shoes cover, caps, isolation drapes.
MNCH training was provided based on PEI supplies of baby weighing, baby care, safe birthing and safe delivery kit, bleeding and incontinence diapers. For family planning Intra Uterine contraceptive Device (IUD) insertion and Dilatation and Curettage (D&C) kits were provided along with training.
Health education along with use of ORS, diapers, disposable towels, paper towels and medicines for diarrhea and cholera kits for treatment during epidemic were provided.
For hepatitis control disposable cautry kits, use of disposable syringes was encourage along with provision of syringes varying in capacity from 0.5cc to 150 cc.
IEHK kits in emergency response. Crutches, walkers and wheel chairs were provided to the health facilities for the benefits of disable and elderly peoples.
Monitoring & Evaluation: A computerized record keeping and tracking data base system is in use to manage the entire inventory received which facilitates storage, segregation, distribution, monitoring of appropriate use, collection of returned items and redistribution to other facilities besides sharing reports with government and other stakeholders.
Evaluation and impact of medical support program stresses on grass root betterment in health services delivery, improving Mother and Child Health, reducing MMR and IMR, prevention of communicable diseases, common diarrhoeal diseases integration of health intervention of other social development initiative, service provision in coordination with local community, easily accessibility, affordable with improved medical service standards for the poor and functional health facilities by collaborating with government and other partners for strengthening the capacity of these health facilities by identifying and bridging the existing gaps.