July 26th 2016 Displaced -Treatment Center
Channel: UNMISS VIDEOS
Date: 2016-07-28

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / TREATMENT CENTRE
TRT: 3:28
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNMISS
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS/VOICEOVER BEATRICE MATEGWA
SHOT & EDITED BY DENIS LOURO

DATELINE: 22/26 JULY 2016, JUBA , SOUTH SUDAN 

STORYLINE:
Five year old Iman is one of many beneficiaries at a primary health care clinic which was set up by The International Organization for Migration - at a transit centre for displaced victims sheltering from conflict in South Sudan.

Her eldest sister Manal brought her in when she fell sick.

Soundbite (Arabic) Manal, elder sister to Iman, sick Child
"When we arrived here, it rained, then she got sick. We brought her to the clinic, then she was admitted. She had malaria, then she was given two drips and quinine, then they change the injection to tablets, and she is still taking the medicines".

The primary healthcare centre which operates within a United Nations Mission in South Sudan compound, has been in operation for two weeks now.

Soundbite (English) Kelsi Kriitmaa, Health Programme Officer at International Organisation for Migration
"We have currently set up a health clinic here, it is a primary healthcare unit, we established it on July 13th, immediately after the fighting - immediately after the ceasefire, when we were able to get access to the site here."

This health facility offers immediate lifesaving primary health care for the displaced at the site. The facility also offers help for patients who come in for general consultations, basic reproductive health services and acute watery diarrhea.  Complicated cases of watery diarrhea are referred to Juba Teaching hospital, while other partners also take on more complicated cases. 

Soundbite (English) Kelsi Kriitmaa, Health Programme Officer at International Organisation for Migration
"We are seeing on average between 150 to 220 patients a day, and top morbidities are generally malaria because we are in the rainy season which is to be expected, maps well as ARIs which is Acute respiratory infections - processing a lot of skin diseases and some acute watery diarrhea and now as we know the cholera outbreak has been declared in Juba, and we have seen some suspected cases of cholera here at the site."

Working round the clock for sometimes 16 to 20 hours - and with enough medical supplies so far, dedicated medical teams on the ground, including other IOM staff - have all been able to set up this facility  which has assisted numerous patients.

Soundbite (English) Kelsi Kriitmaa, Health Programme Officer at International Organisation for Migration
"Last week, the ministry of health issued a press statement, and held a press conference to issue formally a cholera alert for Juba city, Juba town, and what we have seen so far is six cases, specifically at our clinic here in UNMISS Tomping, and what we are doing, we are working with the ministry of health and partners to try to do triage as best as possible. The current protocols on the ground is that only severely dehydrated cases should be referred to the CTC, which is the cholera Treatment Centre which is being run by the ministry of health and MSF at Juba Teaching hospital."

As part of the medical teams, IOM also runs a community awareness program through and hygiene promoters who go to all corners of the transit area disseminating with key messages on common diseases like malaria, diarrhea and cholera, and are also involved in active case finding so as to refer those sick at ‘home’ to clinics.
 ENDS.