I. ADOPT AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN KENYA – Upgrading of Bungoma County Referral Hospital This project is dedicated to upgrading and enhancing the Emergency Department (ED) at Bungoma County Referral Hospital in Kenya Africa in collaboration with Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation (EMKF)
Pending tasks:
1. Submit Project Update/news item to Manning Times, District 9660 Newsletter, RDU, DACdb
2. Follow up signed MOU from Bungoma County to continue the maintenance care of donated equipment
3. Discuss Bungoma County request for funding support towards equipping the newly built Maternal & Child health centre
4. Await decision on the submitted application for Balwyn Centenary grant towards Baringo County Hospital ED upgrade.
II. TRAIN-THE-TRAINER in OBSTETRIC EMERGENCIES AT D.R.CONGO -Rural Emergency Obstetric Training held at Botswana Nov 2024 The nation of 104 million people has one of the highest number of maternal and neonatal deaths in the world. Latest figures record the maternal mortality ratio at 547 deaths for every 100,000 live births (100x more than Australia), and its neonatal rate – the number of babies dying before 28 days of life – at 62 per 1,000 live births (20x higher than Australia) Our train-the-trainer project in collaboration with HandUp Congo, Association of Emergency Medicine in DRC (AMURDC) and Australia College of Rural Remote Medicine (ACRRM) aims to provide Congolese healthcare workers with the necessary skills and equipment to manage life threatening obstetric emergencies.
(PAST) First phase: The initial training and community assessment done on Jan 2023 in DRC– 3 Obstetric Emergency training workshops were held at Kinshasa, Mbandaka and Lotumbe, respectively. The need for capacity building was evident. (CURRENT) Second phase: Further train-the-trainer workshops held at Gaborone Botswana last Nov 4 & 5 2024 delivered as pre-conference workshops during the recently held African Federation Conference on Emergency Medicine (AfCEM) was attended by 6 sponsored Congolese doctors – HandUp Congo paid for their flights, board, lodging and local transportation with a signed Letter of Agreement for them to conduct the future training workshops locally in 5 strategically chosen province/regions in DRC, namely: Kinshasa, Mbandaka, Lubumbashi, Mbujimayi and East Congo. The module for the workshop called Rural Emergency Obstetric Training (REOT) was provided by ACRRM with Memorandum of Understanding that the modules are being used to train health care providers in low income countries as a humanitarian project initiative (not for profit).
FINANCIAL REPORT for Congo Project: RECEIVED DONATIONS to date: $4750
$750 from RC Gloucester 14/6/24
$1000 RC Warners Bay 14/6/25
$2000 RC Lane Cove 17/6/24
$1000 RC Dalby in Qld 25/6/24 (pledged more after my talk on Sept 16, 2024)
Funds sent to HandUp Congo
$1075 proceeds from RC Taree Gala dinner proceeds Sept 2024
$5000 Maurie Stack donated through RAWCS Oct 2024
Expenses to date:
$1785 for the purchase of 2x Laerdal Training Mannequins /Equipment from the US (USD $1123.90 on 30/7/24)
$1403 for the purchase of 200 USB and 4 Banners purchased in Phils (Php 55,000/38 30/8/24)
($1562 for reimbursement to Project Manager on Botswana Training expenses, receipts to follow)
(FUTURE) Third phase: application for Rotary Foundation global grant to secure funding in rolling out the future obstetric emergency training workshops nationwide focusing on the 5 named provinces. Kinshasa, Mbandaka, Lubumbashi, Mbujimayi and East Congo had been submitted on Oct 14th 2024, in process. The timeframe for implementation once Global Grant approved is from March-April 2025.
Pledges towards Global Grant Matching funds:
$15,000 USD from District 9660 (will be matched by TRF 80%)
$10,000 USD District 9910 (will be matched by TRF 80%)
$2,500 USD from Tony Castley SewAid Foundation
$5,000 USD from Maurie Stack confirmed non rotary donation
$500 USD from RC Scone
Overall total budget for Global Grant project: $55,220 USD
Conclusion: This project is ongoing. We will see the impact of this project towards reduction of Maternal and Neonatal mortality with a prospective research paper planned alongside the project implementation.
Report submitted by:
Rtn Dr Grace Maano
International Service Director Rotary Club of Taree
Email: rctaree@gmail.com
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