Primary health care in Somalian refugee camps
Johnston, B.
Journal of Family Health Training 1(1): 10-12
1982
PMID: 12338457 Document Number: 391014
The convergence of thousands in Somalia's refugee camps has created an emergency in health care provision. To tackle this problem, the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with UNICEF, recruited a small group of Somali professionals to draw up a plan for the training of community health workers to serve in the camps. A 2nd objective was to make an assessment of the nutritional status of the refugees, and provision of maternal and child health care. At the end of a 2 week workshop a plan was drawn up which emphasized the teaching of preventive medicine, particularly in the control of communicable diseases. It was decided that students in the postbasic training program in administration and teaching in the health service would serve as teachers. Teaching was kept basic and simple, mostly concentrating on topics related to hygiene and food preparation, for example. During program implementation inspection visits were carried out at intervals by a health educator and tutor from the nursing school. At the same time further briefing was given to as many concerned people in the camps as possible. Preliminary feedback suggested that the program was proceeding successfully. After 3 months an evaluation was carried out by teachers in the program. The evaluation showed a great deal to have been accomplished in spite of the disinterest of some parts of the population. The success was attributed to the involvement of Somalis in the camp communities. As of September 1981, the pace of the programs has increased, with the inclusion of health services from expatriate sources within Ministry of Health guidelines.