Effectively and promptly managing emergencies is crucial, especially when it comes to obstetric and neonatal emergencies. For this reason, Doctors with Africa CUAMM in collaboration with Mr. Paolo Rosi, SUEM Coordinator at Regione Veneto, has developed two emergency plans and an operational plan as part of the UR-Beira project. A workshop held on on Wednesday, January 28 gave the occasion to present and discuss the plans with local authorities from both Beira district and Sofala province. The meeting was also attended by project partners, namely the District Health, Women, and Social Action Service (SDSMAS), the Beira Central Hospital (HCB), and the Mozambique Medical Emergency Service (SEMMO).
The Internal Emergency Plan for the management of a Mass Casualty Incident, the Hospital Emergency Plan, and the Medical Emergency Operational Plan for the Beira district were drafted by a group of experts from Veneto Region. These plans were then reviewed by the staff of Beira Central Hospital, who adapted them to the real needs, ensuring the sustainability of the service. Already shared with relevant authorities, health centers, and healthcare and paramedical personnel involved, these plans will help improve emergency service planning, management, and coordination in the Beira district. They will also enhance the quality of clinical and organizational emergency services and facilitate access to emergency care through the adoption of a validated emergency management model at the district, provincial, and national levels.
“In terms of both sustainability and collaboration, the emergency management plans that we present today with a focus on sustainability and strong collaboration,” said Donata Dalla Riva, Area Manager in the province of Sofala. “The validation and adoption of these tools by health authorities demonstrate the importance of local ownership, which is essential to ensuring the future of the service.”
The meeting also served as an opportunity to present some key results. Launched in February 2022 with the deployment of two vehicles, the service now operates with four ambulances, a emergency operations center, and three management plans. In terms of human resources, the medical emergency service counts on 8 operators managing call flows at the control center set up within the 24 de Julho Hospital, as well as 18 nurses and 18 drivers.
“It was in 2019 when Cyclone Idai hit Beira that it became clear that the city of Beira needed an emergency management system,” said Dr. Neusa Rosalina Joel, Director of the Sofala Provincial Health Directorate (DPS). “Today, we are pleased to witness how this project has increasingly served and benefited our community, to the point where we now have four ambulances, which significantly reduce transfer times and, consequently, the mortality rate, particularly for obstetric and neonatal emergencies.”
In nearly three years of activity, the ambulances have completed over 26,000 transfers, averaging 752 per month. Obstetric emergencies top the list, accounting for 38% of cases referred to HCB, followed by medical emergencies (28%) and pediatric and neonatal emergencies (24%).
“Today, we conclude three years of commitment to strengthening medical emergency services in the city of Beira,” said Marcello Mazzotta, CUAMM Project Manager. “This meeting has demonstrated not only the effectiveness of the service but also the strong engagement of local partners, who are determined to create the right conditions to gradually take over the medical emergency management system, which is now a model for the Country.”
UR-BEIRA: Strengthening Medical Emergency Services in the City of Beira is a project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by Medici con l’Africa Cuamm in partnership with the Veneto Region, the Beira District Health Service, the Medical Emergency Service of the Ministry of Health of Mozambique, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Beira Central Hospital, and P.O. Croce Verde of Padua.
