Development and implementation of a women´s health programme in Eritrea

The partnership project between For-Eritrea (Medical Support in Partnership) e.V. and Orotta National Referral Hospital in the Eritrean capital of Asmara focuses on promoting women’s health in Eritrea. The Orotta National Referral Hospital is the only teaching hospital in Eritrea.

Problem: Medical care for women in Eritrea is limited. There is practically no antenatal care in the country and few opportunities exist to diagnose gynaecological cancer at an early stage and treat it appropriately. The reasons for this include the lack of specialists owing to brain drain as well as the poor equipment of the hospitals.

Main activities: The partner hospital is being equipped with an electronic foetal monitor (EFM) to enable it to perform better antenatal examinations. The project partners are together devising advanced training for medical specialists at the partner hospitals and the hospital is to receive a new chemotherapy unit. Screening is also to be introduced for cervical cancer.

Short-term results: Medical care for women is improved in the partner hospital.

Long-term results: The additional qualifications of the medical staff are to be passed on to student doctors at the Orotta National Referral Hospital.