Mon, January 10 (MExN): A significant step has been made in the handover process of the Mon District Hospital from Medecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors without Borders (MSF) to the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW). A press release from Beatrice Barbot, Field Coordinator for MSF in Mon informed that on January 1, the inpatients department, the emergency room, the referrals to tertiary structure, hygiene and infection control and the provision of electricity of the said hospital were handed over to the control of the DoHFW.
MSF, in partnership with the DoHFW has been supporting Mon District Hospital since 2010. An initial 3 years Memorandum of Understanding was signed in July 2010 and an extension for one year was agreed in 2013, bringing the collaboration between MSF and the DoH&FW to an end in July 2014.
The Chief Medical Officer of Mon district commented on the handover of control by stating, “The handover process may be difficult but we accept it with an open heart and I believe that with God’s help we will be able to manage it.”
The handover process is being done in steps, in order to ensure the best possible handover and follow up of activities. It may be noted that the OPD department, waste management and lab and blood transfusion activity were handed over to the DoHFW on June 1, October 1 and November 1, 2013 respectively.
The release informed that OPD (SRH), Gynecology, Obstetric, neonatal care, pharmacy management, supply of non medical items and provision of water would be handed over to the DoHFW on February 1. Eventually, on April 1, the infrastructure maintenance and the TB will be handed over. On June 1, the health promotion programme will be handed over, thus completing the phase of transition.
MSF will, however, still be present in Mon District Hospital until July, 2014 and will be directly involved in other activities, as well as monitoring and supporting the Hospital staff to help with the smooth transition process. To ensure the best possible handover, MSF and the DoH&FW need the continued support of the community, stated the release.
Beatrice Barbot, MSF Field Coordinator, in the press release stated, “I am very pleased that we have a very good partnership with everyone involved in the hospital, as well as very good support from the community and local NGOs in Mon, especially during this handover process. We hope this continues in the future as it is so essential that the hard work done by everybody involved in the Hospital continues for the years to come.”
