Keren is the second largest city in Eritrea and is located approximately 80 km from the capital Asmara in the province of Anseba. As early as 2010, ARCHEMED assisted in the establishment of a small neonatal care unit at the local Referral Hospital and has since supported this project through the training of nursing staff and doctors as well as the improvement of infrastructure, such as the supply of electricity and water.
In parallel, plans were developed to merge the care of premature and sick newborns with obstetrics under one roof. The idea of a “perinatal center” was born. In 2012, the Eritrean Minister of Health personally laid the foundation stone for the construction of a large maternal and child clinic, which, after more than 12 years of construction, was finally handed over to the Eritreans and put into operation in December 2022.
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The Keren Perinatal Center offers pregnant women the opportunity for a safe birth and, if necessary, immediately provides the required intensive medical care for sick newborns or premature infants. This maternal and child clinic, with its close proximity between obstetrics and neonatal medicine, is unique in Eritrea, a country where many births still take place at home. More than 3,000 pregnant women can give birth here per year, and the possibility of an emergency C‑section is available around the clock through a dedicated C‑section operating room. The neonatal ward has 30 treatment places for premature and newborn babies. Sick infants coming from outside the hospital are also treated here. In case of infection, an isolation room is available to eliminate the risk of contagion.
The ARCHEMED team consists of pediatricians, pediatric nurses, obstetricians, and midwives. The two-week missions take place at least twice a year to best convey the concept of multidisciplinary care for pregnant women and newborns. ARCHEMED trains and supports the local teams in obstetrics, neonatology, and anesthesia in developing their cooperation surrounding childbirth. Cross-team conferences, case discussions, and joint emergency drills are important components of this interdisciplinary care concept, which is new to Eritrea. In addition, we work with all three specialist departments to improve their medical equipment and the correct handling of the devices. A medical technician regularly accompanies the medical teams’ missions to train the Eritrean staff in the maintenance and care of the modern equipment.
The close support and training of Eritrean colleagues in the new clinic was designed for a period of two years and will initially conclude in November 2024. Specialized education and further training in the fields of neonatal medicine and obstetrics are follow-up projects that we will offer at the request of the Eritreans and in mutual agreement with them.
Project Management
Neonatology Department:
Heike Heinicke, Pediatric Nurse, Wadersloh
Obstetrics Department:
Dr. Heiner Hölting, Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Warstein
