Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Al Awda Hospital
2 September 2010
In March 2010 MAP announced the inauguration of a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Al Awda Hospital in the Gaza Strip. This neonatal ICU is one part of our Ensuring Safe Delivery in the Gaza Strip project. The neonatal ICU is housed at Al Awda Hospital, managed by our partner, the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC) and funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development (DfID).
During Israel's Operation Cast Lead, isolated communities in the north of Gaza often could not access health services and in many cases, communities were themselves subjected to direct military operations and displacement. A greatly reduced number of pregnant women presented to hospitals for delivery during this period, primarily related to insecurity and inability to access ambulance services which were almost fully committed to the treatment of the severely injured. This reduction in hospital deliveries resulted in a large number of maternal and neonate deaths that could have been avoided had there been a focused emergency obstetric plan. In effort to address some of the gaps in the continuum of care for pregnant women and newborn children, Medical Aid for Palestinians in conjunction with its partners, UNFPA and UNICEF, currently implements the Safe Delivery Project.
The project's main goal is to reduce maternal and neonate morbidity and mortality in Gaza by developing an integrated emergency preparedness capacity for safe delivery and newborn health. This project will enhance overall hospital service delivery through three main areas of focus: training and capacity development of providers, provision of equipment and supplies and planning and coordination of emergency preparedness and response.
The inauguration of the neonatal ICU was attended by a MAP delegation, and hosted by Dr. Yousef Mousa, the Executive Director of UHWC, and the staff at Al Awda. Dr. Mousa spoke of the importance of the neonatal ICU and how it will substantially improve service provision for mothers and babies at the hospital. Dr. Yousef spoke of his appreciation of the DfID support to this essential initiative and acknowledged MAP's role in making this project a reality.
On behalf of MAP, Fikr Shaltoot spoke about the critical importance of having a neonate ICU in northern Gaza, to ensure that mothers can be with their newborns. Catherine Kling Nourse, MAP's Institutional Grants Manager, highlighted that this project worked towards the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. Ms. Kling Nourse thanked UHWC and MAP's team in Gaza for their ongoing efforts, which would help nurture and protect many of Gaza's 'newest miracles'.
Professor Graham Watt, MAP trustee, presented Dr.Yousef and the staff at Al Awda with the inaugural plaque, thanking them for their work and ongoing commitment.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Al Awda Hospital was officially opened on the 16th June 2010 on behalf of MAP and our implementing partner, UHWC by John Ging of UNRWA. Over 100 health practitioners from hospitals and PHC centres across the Gaza Strip were invited to attend, along with representatives from International and local NGO's.
The unit has been in operation since the 16th June with a 3 month orientation period in place. During the 3 month period the unit will only be accepting babies born via caesarean section at Al Awda who present with foetal distress. The number of babies being treated in the unit has ranged between 2 to 4 neonates at a time.
The purpose of the orientation period is to allow the staff to familiarise themselves with the new equipment and practice the skills and techniques acquired during the training. There are ten members of staff assigned to the unit, 8 nurses and 2 doctors all of whom completed the NLS and general training and the in-service training at Al Nasser Paediatric and Al Shiffa Hospitals.
