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Health Sector Coordination Meeting |
HEALTH SECTOR COORDINATION MEETING
September 12, 2001
WHO Humanitarian Assistance Office Skopje
Participants
- WHO HAO
Boris Rebac
Dance Gudeva Nikovska
Arta Kuli
- WHO Liaison Office
Marija Kisman
- UNICEF
Vasiliki Delimitsou
- IRC
Daniela Ralis
Nermin Zitkovic
John Gelissen
Vladanka Andreeva
- IOM
Vasil Gajdadziev
- Save the Children UK
Maja Suslevska
- Malteser
Britta Schweighoter
- Project HOPE
Mary Beth Young
Verica Ivanovska
WHO HAO - Dr. Rebac opened the meeting giving
brief overview on WHO activities in health sector. In today's meeting
with Mr. Cane Talevski, the representative of Ministry of Health in Crisis
management group WHO discussed several issues.
First, as it was mentioned in the previous meeting, WHO is planning to
undertake health capacity assessment in accessible areas and later on
in villages affected by conflict as soon as security situation allows.
Two international consultants will come to work in FYROM in coordination
with local health professionals and will develop a standardised assessment
questionnaire that will be used in order to get clear picture of the situation
in the field. This assessment will be jointly conducted with the Ministry
of Health. WHO has already received preliminary report prepared by Ministry
of Health as a starting point for assessment. This document is a part
of a document that will be prepared by Crisis management group.
Regarding drug distribution, WHO has already operational pharmacies for
IDPs, three in Skopje, one in Kumanovo. WHO is receiving requests from
the field, especially from the towns where there is large number of IDPs
(e.g. Dojran, Ohrid, Gevgelija). The process of supplying these towns
with drugs is linked to some organisational and technical details that
have to be arranged with the health authorities. The number of IDPs there
is very small compared to Skopje and Kumanovo, so there is a need to repack
the drugs and organise monitoring of distribution locally.
WHO has to discuss primary health care services for villages around Skopje
and readjust them to the new circumstances. UNHCR will assist in organising
visits to the villages in conflict affected areas. Most probably mobile
teams will be established and visit villages that need medical help. For
the villages Ljubanci and Ljuboten, WHO was asked to assist in cleaning
and providing basic sanitary measures. This will be done in cooperation
with the Republic Public Health Institute.
WHO Liaison Officer passed the information
that WHO Liaison Office will focus on three issues: Health promotion,
Health information and Environment and Health.
Dr Rebac also introduced Dr. Arta Kuli, person that will be responsible
for the WHO Health bulletin.
Dr Arta Kuli informed
the participants that she would try to be present at these Health sector
meetings, in order to be informed about what different agencies are doing
in the health sector. Also she will contact all agencies personally to
prepare articles that will be published in the bulletin. The name of the
bulletin will be Health Action as it was proposed by WHO Headquarters.
This bulletin will be placed on WHO official web site.
An update on PHC services for IDPs in Kumanovo region will be given later
by IRC representative.
Project HOPE has no activities
related to the crisis. They are still in process of negotiation with the
Ministry of Health about importation of the Hepatitis B vaccine for adults.
Project HOPE will continue to work with cardiology clinic. They donated
ultrasound for this clinic, but the machine is still not operational,
because the foreign experts that has to come to the country and make it
work, postponed their trip few times due to security situation. Project
HOPE will donate equipment for physiology department at the same clinic.
Project HOPE will assist special hospital for children with lung diseases
KOZLE with pharmaceuticals.
Save the Children UK representative
has nothing much to report as they were last week involved in three days
workshop for all Balkan countries on emergency preparedness. Save the
Children UK will continue with assessment of the possible collective centers.
As a part of the process, psychosocial questionnaire was prepared.
IOM is still observing
the situation in FYROM and make necessary preparations. Yesterday their
representatives visited Kumanovo region and initiate first assessment
on the field. IOM has several very important meetings with municipality
authorities. Most probably, IOM representative will inform and explain
activities at the next meeting. An IOM representative received complains
on drug supplies in Kumanovo. Regarding the fact that the flu season is
coming, there will be additional need for antibiotics. Also, people are
concerned with the fact that winter is coming and they did not manage
wood supply.
Dr Rebac explained that
WHO will make assessment this week in Kumanovo on drug consumption, as
WHO and UNICEF donated amount of drugs that is enough to cover 100000
population for 3 months. WHO and UNICEF will try to fill in the gaps in
drugs supply, especially the drugs that are most asked for by patients,
but will not supply drugs that are not on a positive list. It is very
hard to change doctor's habits on prescription of drugs.
IRC representative informed
that they also received request for drugs from Medical center in Kumanovo,
especially antibiotics for children, paracetamol and medications for scabies.
IRC is running regular programs for refugees and IDPs.
IRC health team supported by UNHCR gives medical help to refugees and
social cases in Suto Orizari and Katlanovo collective centers. The number
of refugees is 630 in Katlanovo and 1300 in Suto Orizari.
One outreach advisor is conducting youth activities twice a week. Health
education for women in reproductive age finished in Katlanovo and will
continue with other groups.
Reconstruction works on streets in Suto Orizari are ongoing. The reconstruction
of the sewage system has been finished. No new infectious diseases were
reported.
IRC support refugees from Radusha that were moved to two hotels in Skopje.
IRC mobile medical team visits them four times a week.
IRC team started to give PHC services in Aracinovo last week. The team
is going to Aracinovo every day and work in the ambulanta from 10:00 -
14:00. The number of the patients is increasing every day. There are some
misunderstandings about sharing a room in Zitiste where the team will
be settled together with the existing team from Gazi Baba clinic. IRC
will arrange a meeting with the manager of Gazi Baba clinic to clear up
some issues.
PHC service for IDPs in Kumanovo gave medical help to 435 patients last
week. Fifty patients were referred to specialist examination, 20 for hospitalisation.
It was agreed that the existing Home visit service in the hospital would
visit collective centers that are far away from the town 3 times a week.
Patient with diabetes that was reported having problems last week, was
referred to the Endocrinology clinic and received insulin free of charge.
IRC received list of babies (0-12 months) hosted in families or collective
centers. They will pass the list to UNICEF for beds and baby packages.
ICRC representative pointed
some comments on the Minutes from the last meeting. Corrections: American
Red Cross donated the equipment to village of Umin Dol, not ICRC.
Medical Center in Kumanovo reduced the number of beds, NOT closed some
surgical departments due to lack of anesthetics and other medications.
He stressed again that, in general, ICRC found that there is serious shortage
in medical supplies, especially in affected areas. At this stage ICRC
has no information how large is this problem. There is a urgent need to
solve this problem and find mechanisms how to supply all necessary things
at this stage as ICRC foresees some possible problems in the future.
This afternoon ICRC had a meeting with American Red Cross about some Roma
IDPs in Suto Orizari. They live on the top of garbage disposal and have
no real shelter. There is 14 years old girl living there and needs medical
treatment. ARC asked him to point this subject at this meeting and try
to organise some activities in order to solve it.
These days ICRC Medical department is visiting places, identifying some
small problems and looking for solutions. ICRC will have meeting with
UNICEF concerning establishing services in the villages in conflict area.
There is an information that doctors are willing to start working there
again. The main role of ICRC will be facilitation of transport.
ICRC representative asked for assistance for arm prosthesis for one patient
that needs it urgently.
WHO Liaison Officer suggested
to check institution SLAVEJ in Skopje.
IOM representative pointed
that they have information that some private doctors in Kumanovo region
are charging 50 DM for medical examination. He advised all agencies to
be aware and control any donation due to possible manipulations.
MALTESER is German
organisation that has no activities. They are just observing the situation.
UNICEF is
running regular activities. They are in the process of procurement of
pediatric drugs locally.
UNICEF will assist in donation of beds and baby packs after they receive
list of babies from IRC.
Health education and other activities for IDPs in Kumanovo will continue
till the end of this year. In Skopje, these activities have finished.
The third immunisation campaign for Kosovo refugees finished this week.
There is a need to check Suto Orizari collective center. UNICEF is concerned
about displaced children, hosted in families or staying in conflict areas,
as they have no information about them.
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