In 2006, the health authorities established the health unit in Mahdah area. The residents of the area were very pleased with this achievement with hope that they will be provided with health services in their area and no need go to other Health Facilities which are faraway and needs an expensive transportation costs.
The area is located southwest of the capital of Sana'a and administratively belong to the Bani Matar district in Sana'a governorate and is about 75 km away from the capital. The population of this area are 8,000 people. The health unit has been closed since long time because of the lack of furniture, medical supplies and medicines, as well as the inability of the authorities to adopt an operating budget or employ a health staff.
Dr. Ayesha Al-Surihi, Director of the Public Health and Population Office in Bani Matar district, said that “the Health Unit remained closed since its establishment due to lack of operating requirements such as furniture, equipment and medical supplies”
In early September this year, the National Foundation for Development and Humanitarian Response (NFDHR) opened the health unit and provided it with furniture, medical equipment and medicines and supplied it with a solar energy system within the Emergency Medical Services Project (2017/2018) in coordination with the Health and Population Office in Sana'a.
The residents of the area were happy after the news of the opening and operation of the health unit and the provision of free medicines to patients. Since the first day, the percentage of daily beneficiaries has been very high compared to the population in the area, especially from poor families and the marginalized who arrive from far away areas for treatment. The average number of beneficiaries is increasing day by day.
The medical staff in this health unit provides primary care services, women and pregnant women, reproductive health and safe delivery services, as well as vaccinating children against the six deadly diseases. The number of patients that visited the health unit is increasing day after day, and the total number of patients receiving primary health care, pregnant care and safe obstetric care during the period from September to November is 1514, including 349 men, 273 women, 523 boys and 369 girls.
Dr. Al-Surihi confirmed that the health office in the district will ensure the continuation of the work of the health unit after the end of the project through the adoption of operating expenses for the unit, after all the operating requirements of furniture, equipment were provided by NFDHR.
The operation of the health unit in the area was a ray of hope for the residents of the area to obtain the health services they have always dreamed of. After years of suffering, they have suffered a lot from the faraway health facilities and the high expenses they were spent.
