Central region has a total of 83 healthcare facilities ranging from hospitals to VCT centers that render services to 101 villages in three sub-zones and 59 administrative areas, of which the 13 administrative areas are in Asmara.
Of the major healthcare programs charted out to be implemented in 2010 include strengthening maternal and child health with a set objective of reducing maternal and child mortality rate by 4 %, ensuring availability of essential drugs by more than 80%, preventing and reducing mortality and morbidity caused due to tuberculosis, decreasing the incidence of severe and complicated malaria, and diminishing prevalence of blindness form 1.4 to 1% and the like are healthcare priorities.
Enhancement in prenatal, postnatal, and post abortion care, awareness raising campaigns against FGM as well as ensuring reproductive health commodities and supplies carried out last year have brought substantial improvements in strengthening maternal and child health. As was planed, last year’s medical supply have satisfied more than 80% of the demand. As regards prevention and cure of tuberculosis, there was a 100% availability of drugs and more importantly direct observed therapy short courses along refresher courses to 150 TV promoters was successfully conducted in three sub zones.
As part of the over all measures that have been taken to prevent blindness and as well to assist those with sight problems, two ophthalmology centers have been opened in accordance to last year’s set out plan. School based eye health programs for refractive and squint problems were introduced and more importantly training on primary eye care was offered to around 10 health workers.
The healthcare programs implemented last year were very comprehensive that cover details about enhancing the capacity of workers, employers and health providers in preventing and managing work related illnesses and injuries. In relation to this, major activities in monitoring and controlling of work environment hazards and assessing their broader environmental impact were effective in which around 120 industrial health workers were trained on injury maintenance.
Though the least in prevalence, all forms of diarrhea are among the top ten killer diseases. Keeping environmental health intact has been one of the Ministry of Health’s major activities as a solution to which construction of latrines in rural areas as well as securing hygiene of potable water sources have been successfully accomplished.