National electricity, Unicef boost Arua Hospital HDU operations

ARUA - Arua Regional Referral Hospital High Dependency Unit (HDHU) has inspired hope after its recent connection to the national electricity grid and support from Unicef.

An HDU is a ward for people who need more intensive observation, treatment and nursing care than is possible in a general ward but slightly less than that given in intensive care.

Over the years, poor infrastructure, equipment and lack of stable sources of electricity have been a nightmare as the facility struggled to help ill patients in need of specialised care.

However, in 2021, with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Unicef, through AVSI Foundation mooted an intervention to create HDUs at major hospitals in West Nile under the District Health Systems Strengthening Project including Arua Regional Referral Hospital.

While highlighting the efficiency of the unit in the past three years during a recent visit by the team from UNICEF, senior consultant and gynaecologist at Arua Regional Referral Hospital Dr Emmanuel Odar said the unit receives an average of 30 critical patients every month after receiving six fully equipped HDU beds from UNICEF as part of the refurbishment of the unit.

He outlined some of the key conditions attended at the unit as postpartum or obstetric haemorrhage, hypertension in pregnancy leasing to pre-eclampsia and peripheral sepsis, among others, that have been ably managed without any fatalities.

Dr. Emmanuel Odar outlined some of the key conditions attended at the unit as postpartum or obstetric haemorrhage, hypertension in pregnancy leasing to pre-eclampsia and peripheral sepsis, among others, that have been ably managed without any fatalities. (Credit: Robert Adiga)

“There were six beds all attached with monitoring machines and here if they improve a bit then we transfer them to other sites. This has helped a lot of mothers,” Odar said.
Odar, who acknowledged the challenges of shortage of personnel and sometimes oxygen, said cases of power outages being experienced previously have stopped following the connection of the region to the national grid.

Nine HDUs have been set up and are fully operational at several project sites including Arua Regional Referral Hospital,  St Luke Hospital Angal, Nebbi General Hospital, Moyo General Hospital, Adjumani General Hospital, Maracha Hospital, Kuluva Hospital, Koboko General Hospital and Nyapea Hospital.

According to the 2021 Annual Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response report by the health ministry, the West Nile region reported one of the highest delays in providing care to pregnant women.

While the first delay (mothers coming to hospitals late) was a major contributor to perinatal deaths, the report findings indicated that the third delay (delay in providing care) contributed to most perinatal deaths countrywide.

In total, the West Nile region now boasts 34 HDU beds – complete with emergency drugs, sundries, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, blood pressure, pulse and temperature monitors, drip stands and suction machines.

Additional facilities in the HDUs include sockets to guarantee the functionality of the equipment, terrazzo floors, sanitation facilities such as sinks and washrooms, medicine cabinets, warm blankets and bed sheets, a nursing station and a monitoring room.