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The Health Sector Development Consultative Conference being held in Jijiga, Somali Region starting from October 19-21, 2014 began with a review of health service delivery experiences in various parts of the region.
The delegation led by State Minister of Health, Dr. Dereje Duguma and Deputy Head of the Somali Regional State Health Bureau, Hawa Suleiman, paid a field visit to Melkada Kas Kebele, Goljano Woreda, 55 km from Jijiga.
The visit showed the work experience of the mobile health team service being implemented. In the Somali region, mobile health services are being provided by 29 groups, each group serving six kebeles.
The mobile health team service focuses on sections of the pastoralist community who are inaccessible to health services. The health services provided by the teams include diagnostic, counseling, vaccination, nutrition, maternal and child, under-5 and adult services.
Rode Hussein, a resident of Melkada Kas Kebele, who was receiving services from the mobile health team, said her two-year-old sun, had contracted eye and has a cold; she said the experts in the group had prescribed medication and counseling on the baby's nutrition and hygiene.
W/ro. Roda thanked the experts for coming to the area every week and said that such services will save the lives of those who have difficulty going to the health facility due to transportation and capacity constraints, adding that this should be strengthened.
State Minister of Health, Dr. Dereje Duguma, told reporters after the field visit that the World Health Organization (WHO) is advising to reach out to the public living in the inaccessible groups through various means. He said the mobile health team service is part of this.
Dr. Dereje also said that it is encouraging that many pastoralists are receiving services from the mobile health team. He said research needs to be done to make the service more efficient, secure and technologically supported.
Leaders and experts from the Ministry of Health, regional, accountable offices, hospitals and partner organizations participated in the field visit.