Medical Mission # 2
Mission Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan Referral Hospital
The Hospital was built back in the 1920’ by fascist Italian invaders for the sole purpose of treating wounded Italian soldiers.
Since then, the expansion of the hospital has been limited, current bed capacity for normal business is about 100+ beds, while the hospital is the Regional Referral Hospital.
Currently the hospital is being expanded by new hospital construction about 6 km away from Debre-Berhan Hospital with 300 bed capacity.
The catchment area for the hospital is about 3 million population with a couple of General, Basic hospitals and Health Centers.
The way they managed the crisis
A Tour with
Dr. Fiseha Tadese
&
Dr. Dagem Shimelash.
Even though, the Hospital is smaller than Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital, our team have witnessed the unique accomplishment and critical organization of the hospital, in that the Hospital is acting and serving as a “Medical Hub” for five destroyed and displaced Regional Hospitals of the North and East regions of the Wello administrative region.
There were five different allocations within the building or the land (large tents) of the hospital, that were designated to the five displaced Hospitals where regular patient care were being carried out.
Debre Berhan Referral Hospital As A Medical Hub.
The Asylum of Wello Administrative Region Hospitals in Debre Berhan Hospital.
The ER & Triage System
The team have witnessed in person the extreme dire need of medicine and medical equipment need of the hospital.
The ER looks to be just a room with stretchers and IV pols.
The ICU
They have an area for ICU with only 4 beds; 4 ventilators with only 3 functioning, and extremely limited continuous monitoring system.
The ICU is run by a “borrowed” Intensivist from St. Paul Hospital & emergency / critical care RNs, there is no RT.
Critical Care meds are limited, they use Propofol, Fentanyl & Diazepam for sedation/analgesia.
The Neonatal Unit
The team have witnessed in person the extreme dire need of medicine and medical equipment need of the hospital.
The OR & L & D
The hospital has 4 main ORs & about 2 or 3 dedicated Cesarian Section ORs, which currently are operating as main ORs for wounded soldiers.
They have a total of 20 surgeons, among them: 6 General Surgeons, 6-7 Orthopedic Surgeons, 1 Neurosurgeon, 1 Maxillofacial Surgeon.