In the provincial city of Mendefera, with a catchment area of approximately 1 million inhabitants, a new clinic was built in 2006 – financed by the “World Bank”. At the start of the project, there was no possibility of intensive medical care for sick newborns, premature infants, or older children. Mortality was accordingly very high. As a result, only 30% of births occur there, with most women giving birth at home.
Since 2011, doctors, nurses, midwives, and other helpers from Oldenburg have been traveling to Mendefera twice a year to work with the Eritreans to gradually establish a ward for sick newborns and premature infants (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – “NICU”) and a basic Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (“PICU”). At the same time, existing obstetric care is supported.
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Through numerous missions, ARCHEMED has established and equipped three intensive care patient rooms, one storage room, and two delivery rooms with medical supplies, and has also significantly improved the electricity and water supply. However, the focus of the missions is on the training of doctors, nurses, and midwives. Thus, in the field of neonatology and pediatrics, infusion therapy, thermotherapy, nutrition, hygiene, resuscitation of newborns, and continuous monitoring of children are important topics in our training courses. Central topics in obstetrics include monitoring of the mother and fetus, early detection of irregularities and pathologies, hygiene, and improved cooperation with the NICU. Another area of activity for the Oldenburg team is the training of staff in the regional health centers of the Debub region.
Word has spread about the availability of help at the clinic: more and more mothers and patients from across the region and from neighboring smaller clinics are coming to Mendefera. The NICU now treats approximately 300 patients per year, and the PICU over 100 patients per year, both operating at high capacity.
The original project goal of significantly improving the care of newborns and premature infants has been achieved for now. The long-term goal of the project is to create a functional perinatal center that is well-received by the population, i.e., a care unit that combines expert obstetrics and neonatal medicine under one roof (see Perinatal Center Keren). Project work in Mendefera will therefore continue with a focus on obstetrics. To this end, the facilities, medical equipment, staff training, and cooperation with the NICU must be further improved in terms of perinatology.
Project Management
Neonatology Department: Mechthild Schulze Becking, Neonatologist, Oldenburg
Obstetrics Department: Prof. Dr. Oda von Rahden, Midwifery Scientist, Oldenburg
Organization: Stefan Brückner, Dipl.-Ing., Oldenburg
