UN-Habitat: four health care facilities to be renovated through a European Union Funded project

Today, UN-Habitat, the Benadir Regional Administration (BRA), and the Danish Refugee Council hosted a second ground-breaking ceremony for a European Union-funded project to renovate two health-care facilities.

Last week, in collaboration with Save the Children, the first ground-breaking for the refurbishment of the other two buildings took place.

One of the three main action areas of UN-COVID-19 Habitat’s response plan is to support the public health sector in urban contexts, particularly among the urban poor and displaced communities.

The Danish Refugee Council is rehabilitating refugees at Wabari Health Center in Waberi area and Forlanini Stabilization Center in Abdiaziz. Wadajir General Daud Health Facility in Wadajir District and Shibis MCH in Shibis District are managed by Save the Children.

“Primary health facilities were selected for rehabilitation in areas with a high proportion of vulnerable and marginalized communities.  This will reduce the influx of patients at the referral hospitals so that they are able to attend to specialized cases and will improve service delivery in the longer run,” said Asha Sawyer, Project Manager.

UN-Habitat and its partners will work with Bra to ensure that health facilities in these four districts of Mogadishu meet the criteria specified by the Ministry of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization through this intervention.

“Every year, about 32,500 patients visit Wabari while about 18,700 visit Forlanini Stabilization Center. Wadajir has not been functional for the last six years and Shibis, receives about 31,850 every year.  Renovating and equipping these facilities will increase the capacity of these hospitals and serve more patients,” said Mohammed Cadow, Director of Health, BRA.

The renovation work will include minor demolition and refurbishing of some structures, as well as rehabilitation of others, including the installation of new doors and windows, floor tiling, new roofing and ceiling installation, and complete repainting.

Following the modifications, the project will provide these health care facilities with the essential equipment, including beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, and other appropriate medical equipment, in order to improve service delivery.

Background

UN-HABITAT has been collaborating with BRA, Save the Children, and the Danish Refugee Council in Mogadishu to implement the EU Response to COVID-19’s Health and Socioeconomic Impact.

This intervention is part of a component of the project that aims to increase access to infection prevention and control (IPC) health facilities and improve health care services by rehabilitating and equipping health centers to serve as temporary community COVID-19 care centers for counseling, medical treatment, and referrals.

The goal of this project is to provide a successful COVID-19 response, early stabilization and recovery following the pandemic in Mogadishu’s peri-urban areas, and to build urban resilience in the Federal Republic of Somalia’s Banadir Region.