Dhamar and Al-Beidha medical service worsens [Archives:2006/917/Local News]
SANA'A, Feb. 1 ) A parliamentary report revealed that the medical situation in Dhamar and Al-Beidha governorates has become serious and requires consideration.
Prepared by Parliament's committee on health and population, which visited the governorates, the report confirmed that many medical projects have experienced difficulties for years. Such difficulties prevent the medical sector in those regions from offering good medical service, the report stated.
The report mentioned that the governorates' hospitals and the medical sector lack specialists and technical staff to fix and repair medical equipment subject to breakdowns. Doctors and nurses also are not distributed well throughout the governorates. According to the report, medical personnel mostly are in main cities, whereas rural regions are lacking.
In this regard, the report referred to Dhamar's public hospital, launched 24 years ago in 1982. Hospital capacity is 250 beds and it continues using the same old damaged medical equipment needing replaced. The committee report said the hospital needs development and medical personnel.
The report also mentioned Al-Thawra Hospital in Al-Beidha governorate, saying it experiences cracking and rainwater leaks inside hospital rooms. The report also noted the governorate's Motherhood and Childhood Center, whose budget is estimated at 20,000 YR ($100) monthly, but lacks much medical equipment.
Malaria, bilharzias, tuberculosis and leprosy are the most prevalent diseases in Dhamar governorate, the report found, confirming that malaria is considered the first medical problem, since many governorate provinces and regions are infested with it. Campaigns to fight the disease cover some provinces but do not reach all infected regions.
According to the report, the program to fight bilharzias is facing many financial obstacles; therefore the disease is widespread in many governorate regions, particularly in Aness province.
The report found that diarrhea, typhoid, malaria, respiratory and urinary infections are the most common diseases in Al-Beidha governorate.
At the end of its report, the committee recommended completing medical projects in these governorates and providing personnel, equipment and furniture as soon as possible. It also called for promoting the medical programs through budgeting and expanding medical services in reproductive health care to include distant rural areas.
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