Adopt a Children’s Hospital

Where: ASMARA, ERITREA
What we do: REFURBISHMENT OF THE PAEDIATRIC EMERGENCY
For whom: 30.000 ERITREAN CHILDREN
What you can do: DONATE 10 EURO A MONTH

Title of the project

Adopt a Children’s Hospital in Eritrea

Place of the action

Asmara, Eritrea

Description of the context

Children’s health is a major issue in Eritrea, as well as in other developing countries. The main causes of infant mortality (0-5 years old) in Eritrea are: pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and malnutrition, in addition to neonatal causes (infections, premature birth, asphyxia at birth) affecting more than a quarter (27%) of the total children mortality 0-5 years (source: Unicef)
Eritrea is making a great effort to fight infant mortality, with a reduction of 4% per year over the last decade, thanks to the work done by the Ministry of Health on malaria control, prevention of infectious diseases by vaccination (90% coverage with measles elimination), and improvements in the prevention and treatment of major diseases, which cause infant death.
Annulliamo la Distanza realized important projects for cooperation in the field of paediatric health care in the past. In 2004 it worked for the rehabilitation of the ER at Orotta Paediatric Hospital in Asmara (the only children’s hospital on Eritrean territory where each year 30,000 children are visited), in collaboration with the Eritrean Ministry of Health and the Hospital Meyer in Florence, and with the support of the Tuscany Region. After almost twelve years, a new intervention on the structure was necessary in order to cope with the health problems of the multitude of children residing Eritrea: in agreement with the Ministry of Health and the Orotta Hospital Administration, we decided to intervene with masonry work and supply of medical equipment.

The project

Thanks to a funding from the Delegation of the European Union of Asmara and the Tuscany Region and thanks to the collaboration with the Maggiore Carlo Pizzardi Hospital in Bologna and with the Meyer Hospital in Florence, from December 2016 to June 2020 we renovated and furnished the paediatric emergency room. We purchased medical equipment and consumables, we carried out five training courses for medical and health personnel, training over 110 young Eritrean doctors and we drew up a a research project on the incidence of diabetes in paediatric age. Now, our project aims at preserving what we built through significant economic effort. A well maintained item is an item that can easily perform its functions. Whether it is a property, an electrical system or (no an) equipment, through maintenance (no virgola) it can continue to meet the users’ needs, guaranteeing quality and safety. Furthermore, maintenance can improve the goods’ performance, it can reduce management or operating costs, it can limit energy consumption and, in general, the maintenance costs themselves, if it is performed by qualified personnel in due time. The healthcare sector, and particularly hospitals, require special attention concerning maintenance. In order to treat patients safely and ensure the achievement of the expected performance in a safe environment, it is essential to guarantee reliability, availability and continuity of operation of the buildings, systems and equipment. Maintenance and healthcare therefore represent an inseparable, delicate, complex and strategic combination. For this reason, our project aims at providing assistance both in financial terms and in terms of skills in order to improve the quality and functioning of the buildings, systems and equipment at Orotta Paediatric hospital.

Achieved result

October 24, 2019, has been an important day for our organisation. After massive efforts, we inaugurated the emergency department at the Orotta Paediatric Hospital in Asmara which every year welcomes over 30,000 children.During the same week, thanks to the collaboration with the Meyer Hospital of Florence and Maggiore Hospital of Bologna, over 110 young Eritrean doctors have been trained. We invite you to watch the 2-minute video done by Andrea Mafrica.

CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US:
More challenges are awaiting us. We want to restructure the entire Orotta Paediatric hospital and we want to maintain it. We need your help.
Thank you, “CHILDREN FIRST”!