Aid Macedonia

Health Sector Coordination Meeting

HEALTH SECTOR COORDINATION MEETING
November 7th, 2001

WHO Humanitarian Assistance Office Skopje

Dr. Rebac, WHO HAO opened the meeting by giving word to Dr Andrea Anderson from ART International. Her mission in FYRoM has finished and she will leave the country tomorrow.

Dr Anderson wanted to say thank you to everyone, especially stressing that she felt very welcome in this country and was very well accepted by all professionals she has been in contact with.

In addition, Dr Rebac briefly described past week activities. WHO HAO has received several reports by different organisations concerning the situation in the conflict affected regions. It seems that the situation is different in all three regions.

UNICEF representative reported that there is an ambulanta in the village Grusino (5 km distance from Aracinovo), completely equipped and not damaged in the military activities, but it is closed due to the lack of medical staff. Almost 1500 inhabitants came back recently to their homes and live in that village. The police is ensuring security in the village as well. There is a number of international organisations working there, but none of them is providing medical services.

WHO HAO will check this information with the manager of Gazi Baba policlinic tomorrow. If the Health center is not able to provide medical staff for that ambulanta, WHO can try to cover this village with IRC teams.

WHO HAO also received a request by Shelter group for providing medical assistance for one village in Tetovo region (municipality of Zelino). The village is far away from other villages (Grupcin and Zelino) that have ambulantas. WHO HAO will further explore the situation in this village with Medical center authorities in Tetovo.

WHO HAO has also discussed with IRC to change the strategy in Kumanovo. There are less IDPs in the town and most probably the hospital is able to deal with them, but there are lot of returnees in the villages. WHO HAO asked IRC to prepare small assessment in the field, especially with regards to the needs for health personnel. According to this assessment, WHO HAO and IRC will plan further activities in that region.

WHO HAO has finished second distribution of drugs for Kumanovo and Skopje. Distribution for Tetovo will be organised this week.

UNICEF has regular activities. Regarding emergency, they are still waiting for the second shipment of drugs.

World Vision is primarily involved in reconstruction of schools and is providing clothes for IDPs in host families. New supervisor who arrived recently in FYRoM is interested in health sector. She will contact WHO this week.

IRC has regular activities for IDPs and refugees in collective centers. The number of patients in Aracinovo was 50/day last week. IRC will also make small reconstruction works in Aracinovo ambulanta.

IFRC/Macedonian Red Cross representative reported that there is a problem with the heating in collective center Olimpisko selo. People also are asking for winter clothing.

OCHA representative replied that UNHCR is trying to solve this problem, but it is very unclear what is the status of the building, who is the owner, and also the reconstruction works will be very expensive and will cover only one part of the premises.

ART International will start with the immunization of IDPs with flu vaccine. This will cover chronically ill patients, people over the age of 65 and children 1 -12 years old. The pilot program will start in Kumanovo. ARTI is asking for any possible assistance from other international organisations in contacting IDPs and returnees.

Dr Rebac suggested that the best thing is to start with collective centers, as at this point is very difficult to trace returnees. For Kumanovo, they can contact doctors in IRC center and they can provide information on host families. Also, OCHA representative will provide informations from the Ministry of Labor.

ART International is preparing program for continuous education for nurses with the Ministry of Health. They received a request from the Director of the gynecology and obstetrics clinic, Dr Tofoski, to organise similar program for registered nurses and midwifes.

Dr Rebac suggested ARTI to contact the International Project Unit of the World Bank, as they have continuous medical education programs in order to avoid duplication of activities. ARTI should also coordinate with UNICEF as they have program for education of patronage nurses.

IOM has finished the field assessment on health care needs. As they plan a project with emphasis on tuberculosis, they have regular contacts with the TB dispensaries in Tetovo and Kumanovo.

AAR Japan has regular activities - providing primary health care for refugees, IDPs and social cases in Kumanovo, Skopje and Tetovo.

OCHA representative reported that they have received request for distribution of leaflets for IDPs and returnees. These are informational leaflets prepared by different psychosocial working groups and published by American Refugee Committee Int.

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