Opening Ceremony of the new Paediatric and Maternity Ward at Adigrat Hospital in Ethiopia
The new Paediatric and Maternity Ward at Adigrat Hospital in Ethiopia was opened on 25 March 2010, thanks to the funds received from an Italian philanthropist and to the contribution of the National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty-NIHMP, the Tigray Health Bureau (THB), IISMAS non-profit association and the Ethiopian NGO THIDA. Ethiopian television operators, journalists, many authorities and personalities participated in the event, among them: Dr. Gebreab, Director of the Tigray Health Bureau; Ing. Mario Amerini, legal representative of the financier Dr. Mario Maiani; Prof. Aldo Morrone, NIHMP Director General; Mr. Beppe Fontanarosa, IISMAS collaborator; Dr. Yemane, THIDA Executive Director; important representatives of the Orthodox and Catholic diocese; the Muslim Adigrat Cadì Chek Musa; Dr. Zemenfeskidus, Adrigrat Hospital Medical Director and Dr. Mulughetà, Director of the new Ward.
After the ribbon cutting, the unveiling of the plate with a dedication to Biagio Bailo (Roccastrada parish priest from 1942 to 1968 and promoter of many initiatives aimed at the economic and social development of the community and the territory of Roccastrada) and the visit to the Ward and to the Guest House, realised during the past few months, Dr. Gebreab, Prof. Morrone, Ing. Amerini and Mr. Fontanarosa held a press conference.
During the first days of activity, 40 births took place: the first child was named “Addis”, which means “New” in Tigrinya language.
The new Paediatric and Maternity Ward at Adigrat Hospital
The Tigray Health Bureau decided to add the new Ward to the Adigrat Hospital on the basis of the local government priorities aimed at enhancing the service network and at promoting public health. The hospital, in fact, even though it is addressed to about 1 million users (most of them under-eighteen), did not have nor a paediatric and maternity ward or specialised doctors (paediatrists and gynaecologists).
The Ward is supplied with: 30 beds, 6 of which dedicated to neonatal medicine; a labour room and a delivery room; special areas for nurses and doctors; a paediatric outpatient department; a register office and a waiting room. The equipment is composed of two oxygen concentrators, two incubators, two phototherapy devices and a resuscitation unit. This instrumentation improves the technologies existing in Tigray and put the Adigrat Hospital in the forefront of Ethiopian health care services, together with a few centres of the capital Addis Ababa. The fulfilment of this important project is the outcome of the collaboration between NIHMP, IISMAS non-profit organisation and the THB.
The NIHMP collaborates to the scientific supervision of the Ward, by supporting the THB in the management of medical, diagnostic, training and research activities. It also sent a paediatrician and a gynaecologist, who will be responsible for the medical coordination of the activities of the ward.
