AKOUGOOK PRIMARY HEALTHCARE
UNIT
Akougook Health Initiative
Chibak Clinic (Alabek) is a basic primary health care centre in isolated, remote Lou-Ariik village without roads, electricity, telephone networks and basic infrastructure. The clinic was built in 2005 by the community, led by Mr Bol Mawien and Uncle Toby a.k.a ‘Akougook’ as community mobilizers, to generate funds for construction and basic equipment. The clinic is the only facility that provides medical care to an estimated population of over 300,000 people. This basic healthcare facility is maintained by Akougook Initiative with support from the Warrap state Ministry of Health through Health Pooled Funds.
Recently Akougook Initiative renovated and improved general service delivery in the clinic. However the facility still lacks necessary equipment to provide basic health care.
During the rainy season, the community is extremely vulnerable from threats of diarrheal diseases such as cholera, dysentery and acute watery diarrhoea as a result of open defaecation. In addition to the ongoing high maternal and neonatal/infant death rates from childbirth and child mortality or under 5yrs old from malaria, pneumonia and other bacterial diseases such as cerebral meningitis, tuberculosis, brucellosis and anthrax. Prevalent conditions in adults includes infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B virus; non-communicable diseases such as Diabetes and high blood pressure; respiratory diseases eg. Asthma, COPD and neglected tropical diseases eg. Leprosy, leishmaniasis, schistomasis and trypansoma. Bruli ulcer. Snake & dog bites. Emergencies physical and psycholgoical trauma due to fighting and domestic based violence.
Current Basic Services We Offer
- Outpatient care for children and general population.
- Antenatal care
- Maternity care
- Immunisations
- Community health outreach
- Dispensary
- Basic Emergency stabilisation & referrals to Warrap/Wau
Current Services
Direct Patient Care
Out Patient Consultation
Training and Management of Staff
Community Outreach Immunisation
Urgent Needs Plan
The immediate goal is to raise funds to purchase basic equipment, expand the clinic, recruit qualified healthcare workers and upgrade services to meet urgent public health needs of the community.
- Infrastructure: Running water in clinic, internet, solar electricity
- Basic Medical & Surgical Equipment
- Emergency procedure room
- Basic maternity ward theatre
- Laboratory space
- Fence for security
- Mud hut accommodation for visiting doctors
Akougook Initiative Future Health Mission
In the near future Akougook Initiative envisions Chibak clinic renamed Akougook Memorial Hospital (AMH), a 30-bed hospital with emergency unit and operating theatre dedicated to the medical needs of women and children, training and empowerment of medical professionals in north Tonj County and Bar el Ghazel region
Akougook Memorial Hospital (Proposed)
AMH envisions services to offer:
- Ultrasound (obstetrical and gynaecological)
- Inpatient care for pregnant women and postnatal women
- Paediatric wards and paediatric/neonatal intensive care unit
- Delivery care with Caesarean section capability
- Blood bank / transfusions
- Operating Theatre– selected Gynaecological and General Surgical cases
- Radiology X-Ray
- Laboratory including haematology and chemistry
- Intensive care unit
- Training education
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Mission
To promote healthy and educated remote community in South Sudan as we provide, teach and empower healthcare to women and children in South Sudan
Goals:
- Reduce maternal mortality
- Reduce infant and child mortality
- Grow health professionals in the region
Objectives:
- Provide direct patient care
- Train and manage staff
- Community health education
- Professional training
- Advocate for system improvement
- Research targeted at the unique health needs of remote villages in South Sudan
Provide direct patient obstetric care:
- Antenatal care according to Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines
- Early ultrasound to establish accurate due date and guide decisions about timing of delivery
- Surveillance of at-risk pregnancies nearing delivery
- Monitor for fetal distress and obstructed labour
- Obstetrical intervention for difficult labour or delivery when indicated:
- Artificial rupture of membranes
- Oxytocin infusion or misoprostol administration
- Operative vaginal delivery (vacuum/forceps)
- Caesarean section
Neonatal Care
- Provide appropriate newborn and premature infant care (beginning at approximately 32 weeks estimated gestational age) using sustainable methods and protocols for the setting of South Sudan:
- Nasal CPAP (using nasal cannula bubble CPAP)
- Kangaroo care method of maintaining body temperature
- Nasogastric tube feeding using EBM or formula
- Lactation education
- Careful weight and vital sign monitoring
- Antibiotic treatment when needed
- Prompt evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of medical illnesses and injuries
- Night and on-call staff to provide continuous coverage and services
Training and Management of Staff
- Weekly educational sessions with staff
- Practical clinical teaching daily by supervising expatriate medical staff
Community Health Education:
- Group antenatal education
- Voluntary Counselling & Testing for HIV/AIDS
- General topics of health appropriate for community
Professional Training:
- Clinical rotations for South Sudanese Medical Officers and Clinical Officer, midwife, and nursing students
- Internship Site for Medical Officers / Clinical Officers
- Host expatriate medical students, residents, and consultants for rotations/short terms of service (with hope of increasing future interest in medical work in South Sudan)
- Contribute to ongoing medical education for medical personnel in the surrounding area
