The Enabling Health in Acholi (EHA) project, working with the Ministry of Health and with support from USAID donated medical equipment to health facilities in the districts of Amuru, Gulu, Nwoya and Omoro. The 800 million worth equipment include delivery beds, oxygen concentrators, weighing scales, microscopes, hymoglobinometers and obstetric kits among others. The 36 benefiting health facilities include both public and PNFP HC IIIs, IVs and one general hospital located in Acholi sub region.

While handing over the equipment, the Gulu City Resident Commissioner Mr. Odongpiny Denis urged the regional equipment maintenance team at Gulu Regional Hospital and the health facilities to put the equipment to appropriate use in order to benefit people in the region.

Lack of functional medical equipment compromises the quality of care and according to the recently conducted patient satisfaction surveys, lack of functional equipment is one of the causes of patient poor patient satisfaction.

The donated equipment will help the facilities in improving prescription, diagnosis and treatment of maternal and child related illnesses, thus improving service delivery in the region. The equipment will also reduce on the many referrals to Gulu Regional Hospital but also reduce on the rudimentary means used by health workers to detect blood levels of blood of expectant mothers like examining the conjunctiva of the eye to check blood levels.

Mothers whose haemoglobin level is below 10 grammes are at a high risk of dying while giving birth in case of excessive bleeding. Undoubtedly, the 800 million donated equipment will reduce use of torches and candles to conduct deliveries due to the absence of electricity in maternity wards now that they have a reliable lighting system.

Working with the Ministry of Health and with funding from USAID to strengthen health systems, the Enabling Health in Acholi Project has been supporting health facilities in Acholi to deliver quality and accessible health services to the rural population in Acholi region.

Using the results based financing to provide additional funding to pay output and indicators that satisfy quality standards the Ministry of Health has grappled with, the supported health facilities have procured essential medicine and supplies, boost health workers incentives, buy the much needed equipment among others. To date, more than 2 billion shillings have been disbursed to the benefiting health facilities.

For proposer functionality and appropriate use, Enabel closely worked with the biomedical engineers at the regional equipment maintenance workshop to install and provide user training of the donated equipment.  


Communications Officer, Health Projects