MEDAIR - Emergency Health Response for vulnerable populations in selected health areas of Eastern DRC

Project completed

Eastern DRC has faced a chronic cirsis for over twenty years and humanitarian needs remain acute. A combination fo persistent armed conflict, forced and prolonged displacements, epidemics, poor governance and poor service delivery have fostered high vulnerability within the population. Through primary health care interventions and community engagement, Medair aims to contribute to the reduction fo morbidity and mortality of persons affected by acute and protracted conflict. 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Democratic Republic Congo
Health
Other
nothemedefined
Primary health care
Sector not specified
01.08.2017 - 31.07.2018
CHF  963’000
Background The living conditions of civilian populations of eastern DRC have seen no improvemetn over the past years. The security situation has deteriorated in recent months and there is little hope that this will change any time soon. Clashes between armed groups, or between the Forces Armées de RDC (FARDC) and armed groups, have induced massive dispacements of civilian populations; there are currently 80'000 internally displaces people (IDPs) in North Kivu, 80'000 more than last year at hte same time. There is also increased animosity between certain groups of populations (mainly Hutus and Nandes), leading to indiscriminate killings, abductions and burnt villages. The combination of ongoing insecurity, repeated displacement, inaccessibility and poor health indicators creates a complex context with elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. 
Objectives By providing a timely resonse and the provision of critical humanitarian assistance, this project aims to contribute to the prevention of excess morvidity and mortality among emergeny-affected populations in targeted ares in North Kivu, eastern DRC. 
Target groups

Humanitarian coordination:

health, WASH and logistics provincial clusters, reproductive health, administration and logistics provinicial working groups; coordination with other parners in the areas of intervention (e.g. ICRC, MSF-Be, IMC, CEPAC, Save the Children, UNICEF). MEDAIR is the new Health Sector lead for UNICEF's RRMP in Masisi, Walikale and Rutshuru Territories, North Kivu;

Authorities:

Ministry of Health at national, provincial and local level; civil and military authorities;

Security coordination fora:

INSO, OCHA 

Medium-term outcomes
  1. Vulnerable IDPs, recent returnees, and host populations have increased access to ciritcal primary health services;
  2. Vulnerable IDPs, recent returnees, and host populations have increased access to eassential preventive and curative reproductive health services;
  3. Communities have access to an integrated treatment programme for acute malnurtition;
  4. Epidemiological surveillance and rapid response system to health emergencies is established. 
Results

Expected results:  

  1. 3 fixed HF are supported for primary health care services through the provision of supervisory staff, essential drugs/mediacl supplies, and support to operational costs for the provision of free care;
  2. Health and hygiene behavior change is promoted;
  3. HF are supported in delivery of antenatal care (ANC) services and in proper medical management of cases of SGBV;
  4. HF are supported in managment of intefrated community based mangement of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programming; messaging on infant/young child feeding is reinforced;
  5. A surveillance system is set up to notify of outbreak alerts, assessments are conducted, and movile health teams are setup and deployed fro rapid response. 


Results from previous phases:   SDC has supported Medair on previous occasions in different areas of intervention. The last monitoring revealed the following, 10 months into the latest 1-year project: 45'839 new consultations, 1'102 births under supervision of qualified health staff, 104 victims of SGBV receives appropriate care within 72 hours. THe quality fo Medair's work is exellent; according to the community, the project even contributed to stabilizing a very insecure area. Supporting fixed health facilities (HF) has proved to increase Medair's ability ro respond quickly to acute health emergencies (e.g. quicker tha the RRMP - Réponse Rapide aux Mouvements de Population mechanism). SDC and ECHO's main recommendation was to support fewer (3 vs.5 previously) fixed HF in communities hostin excessive numbers of IDPs, and to put a stronger focus on a movile intervention strategy in case of acute emergencies in areas where no HFs are able to cope with new emergencies. 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Humanitarian aid
Project partners Contract partner
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Medair


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    963’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    876’450 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   1’954’000 Budget inclusive project partner CHF   3’860’000
Project phases Phase 6 01.08.2018 - 30.04.2019   (Completed)

Phase 5 01.08.2017 - 31.07.2018   (Completed)

Phase 4 20.06.2016 - 19.06.2017   (Completed) Phase 3 01.04.2015 - 31.05.2016   (Completed) Phase 2 01.02.2014 - 31.01.2015   (Completed)