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Afar State expanding pilot health extension package
compatible with life style of pastoralists
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Addis Ababa, October 04, 2007 (WIC) – The health extension package implemented at pilot level in Afar State has created favorable condition towards rendering services compatible with the life style of the people, according to the state Health Bureau. Bureau Head Awol Wogris Mohammed told WIC that the health service being delivered by the extension workers has been more beneficial to pastoralists as it is mobile. He said 64 health extension workers were trained and deployed in the pilot program, further stating that training of additional professionals is underway to assign two health extension workers in each kebele since the package designed by the Ministry of Health has become successful.
Efforts are also underway to assign more than two health experts in each kebele as the package was believed to be suitable for providing better health education and medical service for pastoralists, Awol added.
The health extension workers would give medical services moving along with pastoralists, the head said, adding that camels would be trained to serve as ambulances in areas that are not accessible by motor vehicles.
Some 145 camels trained to transport health experts and patients are expected to start ambulance service at the end of this month while 359 camels are required to render similar services in all kebeles, Awol indicated.
He said the trained camels can travel 60 kilometers in an hour carrying health workers and medical equipment across the hot and difficult terrain of the state.
The camels will also transport seriously ill patients to where they can get better treatment, he pointed out. |
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