Project Title
Adopt a Hospital for Children in Eritrea
Proponent
Annulliamo la Distanza ONLUS
Place of Intervention
Asmara, Eritrea
Who is Participating
Annulliamo la Distanza ONLUS in collaboration with the Health Ministry of the Eritrean Government, the Meyer Pediatric Hospital of Florence, and the Region of Tuscany.
Project Length
6 years
The Context
The Mekane Hiwet Pediatric Hospital, which is the only children’s hospital on the Eritrean territory, is located in Asmara. The last war with nearby Ethiopia, finished in December of 2000, and the aggravation of famine due to the persistent drought assure that this hospital must admit more than 25,000 children a year, with 7,000 inpatients and a maximum capacity of just 200 beds.
The children who die because of minor cases of pneumonia or because of premature births are numerous. 45% of newborns are underweight, and the same percentage suffer from respiratory illnesses.
The problem of malnutrition is extremely serious and brings with it numerous pediatric pathologies. The number of HIV positive children is quickly growing.
The Project
Throughout the year 2002, the Association Annulliamo la Distanca funded the construction of a cafeteria for the mothers of the hospital’s young inpatients, and the acquisition of an industrial washing machine and new beds, with the aim of increasing the capacity of the Mekane Hiwet Pediatric Hospital. In November of 2003, thanks to the work of the volunteers from Anladi, a partnership between Mekane Hiwet and the Meyer Pediatric Hospital of Florence was signed into agreement.
After undergoing a renovation, which was carried out by means of Annulliamo la Distanza’s funds and with the technical support of the Meyer Hospital and the Eritrean Government, the new emergency department of the Mekane Hiwet hospital was inaugurated on December 12, 2004. In addition, thanks to the support of the Region of Tuscany, as well as other partners such as the “Ray of Light Foundation” and the “Cassa di Risparmio” agency of Florence, it was possible to install an elevator and an electric generator in the hospital structure, to create a washing room and external bathrooms, to carry out improvements in the archives of the clinical files room and to supply medicines that are urgent to the care of the child. In addition, an internet server is being installed in the hospital that will facilitate communication between Italian and Eritrean doctors.
The intervention of they who will support the “Adopt a Hospital for Children in Eritrea” project, will consent the implementation of a hospital structure that we would like to be increasingly autonomous. There are still many interventions of the utmost necessity to be carried out: the construction of bathrooms, waiting rooms and play-therapy rooms, the installation of centralized, oxygen systems, pediatric medicines and the instruction and training of local doctors.
General Objective
The general objective is to awaken the public opinion so that as many children as possible may be helped through the adoption of this project.
Specific Objective of the intervention
The project intends to integrate the work carried out by the volunteers of Annulliamo la Distanza, who since January of 2002 have been working so that the Mekane Hiwet Pediatric Hospital can acquire greater autonomy.
The volunteers of Annulliamo la Distanza directly follow the progression of the project, making use of two onsite referents and sending their own volunteers at least two times a year for the monitoring of the above-described project, in collaboration with the partners of the Region of Tuscany, the Meyer Hospital and the Eritrean Health Ministry.
Supervision and Monitoring of the Project
Annulliamo la Distanza constantly maintains their relationships with the Eritrean doctors and with the doctors at the Meyer Pediatric Hospital of Florence, who periodically go to Eritrea with the volunteers of Anladi in order to monitor the progression of the work and to instruct local personnel through specialized courses.
Project Manager: Michele Muffi +39 3391100474
info@annulliamoladistanza.com
To support
Annual quota: 300 Euro
Quarterly quota: 150 Euro
Free quota
Method
* Postal account n. 22166508 made out to “Annulliamo la Distanza” Volunteer Association Onlus, memo “Adopt a Children's Hospital in Eritrea.”
IBAN: IT75D0760102800000022166508
* Bank account n. 926 c/o Cassa di Risparmio di Prato - Agenzia di Firenze CAB 02800 ABI 06020 CIN p, memo “Adopt a Children’s Hospital in Eritrea.”
IBAN: IT10P0602002800048570000926
* Direct online deposit with credit card, memo “Adopt a Children’s Hospital in Eritrea.”
