*THE MARCH 2022 NOL/PPFN MEDICAL OUTREACH IN NENWE: THE POST- MORTEM ANALYSIS REPORT*:
_How it came about, what was achieved, chronic underutilization of the hospital, and Recommendation for rejuvenated Nenwe Cottage Hospital Center_
*HOW IT CAME ABOUT* It was all by happenstance, inspired by the idea initially floated by Mrs. Ijeoma J.Ekeh (nee Ezeh), a member of the NOL family platforms upon her return from a service training (Masters degree Community Health)in the Netherlands.
When the chance to host the March 2022 Medical Outreach in Nenwe became open, NOL Board then learned that it had *less than ten days* to concretize feasible plans to enable it happen or risk losing the chance to other competing communities. To further complicate the matters for the NOL BOARD, _the platform was within the same time frame, hosting a fundraiser for a *security house to be built by the gate* of the Nenwe Cottage Hospital Center._ The prospect of losing the chance to leverage the PPFN open slot for the service of the Community was merely starting down, the NOL BOARD of Administrators rallied and quickly put together the NOL/PPFN Medical Outreach Committee. The Committee, with no viable option for soliciting for external funding support *had to rely on itself to come up with the seed money needed to take care of some of the basic logistic requirements for a successful outreach such as this*. The Committee and NOL Board of Administrators are so thankful for the financial and volunteer support that eventually came from *our NOL members*, and Community partners such as the *Emudo Nenwe Ambassadors Association, ENAA*
*WHAT WAS ACHIEVED* The two- day, back-to-back (Thursday, March 10, & Friday, March 11, 2022) Community Medical Outreach program at the Nenwe Cottage Hospital Center was, by every account, a huge success.A total of 462 *documented outpatient* attendees showed up at the event in the course of the two days and in the following population spread:
*Day 1*: 213 patients were seen by the health service providers. Of this number, 47 males were screened for *prostate cancer*, and 72 females were screened for *cervical cancer*. The rest were screened for various health issues including HIV.
*Day 2*: 249 documented new out patients were attended to by the NOL/PPFN team of health service providers, an increase over the Day 1 event, suggesting an uptick in popularity of the services provided. Included in this number were 62 males who requested and were screened for prostate cancer, and 91 women that requested, and were screened for cervical cancer. The rest of the day 2 population presented various other health needs, and were attended to by the team of health service providers, according to the register.
As was expected, the clinical conditions flagged by then i healthcare providers varied in their levels or degrees of seriousness - some received stabilizing treatment, while referrals were arranged for the rest of the population at each of the 2 day events.
*UNDERUTILIZATION OF THE COTTAGE HOSPITAL CENTER* :
The organizers of the NOL/PPFN Medical Outreach noted with concern the reluctance of the locals to patronize the primary health center preferring to seek medical service, when needed, outside this State University Teaching Hospital-affiliated Center. Through live interviews of a cross section of the community the reasons for the underutilization came in different flavors of complexity. However, to help eliminate one of the barriers to full capacity utilisations of the hospital Center, the NOL/ PPFN team had to pay, for all attendees, the hospital Center requested patient cards. The payments were made to encourage recurring needed use of the hospital as a first line of contact by the Community residents in search of health care services. But the long term, and medium term solutions to the problems are much more than payment for the patient card.
*RECOMMENDATION FOR REJUVENATED NENWE COTTAGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER*
As a practical solution to most of the hinderances to achieving full capacity utilization of the Cottage Hospital, the report strongly recommends an *overhaul or creation of a local management for the hospital that would be charged with direct day-to-day running of the hospital*. This management team, to be effective and responsive to the needs of the Community, *must co-opt members of the Community who are well suited to serve as advocates of the hospital and the Nenwe Community*.
Fidel Nwabueze-Ogbo, PhD Director, Planning & Strategic Communications.
Ngozi F. Nwarunta
Director Community Engagement.
Charles O. Chukwubike
Moderator, & CEO, NOL platforms.
