Monday, February 12, 2007

Ishaka project for feeding malnourished babies

Jan has worked hard on this proposal and we are aiming to fund the programme for its first 6 months. (Thanks to those friends and family who have already pledged support!) We want the hospital to apply for grant funding to continue with it from then on. All contributions are gratefully received. Email us and we will send the account details for deposits.

Nutrition Programme at Ishaka Adventist Hospital

The programme will be run by Sister Grace and Clinical Officer Festus.
The programme will cover any child under the age of 5 admitted with a weight to height ratio of 70% or less.
The standard protocol sheet must be used and adhered to for a child to qualify for the programme.
The cost of the admission will be covered by the programme up to a maximum of 30,000Ush per child and 600,00Ush per month.
If the child is HIV positive, the usual discounts on medication will apply, and will be taken into account in the preparation of the bill.
If the total bill is less than 30,000Ush the business office will prepare a receipt for Sister Grace or Festus. The patient will not be charged, and will be allowed to leave. On the next working day, Sister Grace or Festus will arrange with the treasurer for the exact amount to be transferred.
If the total bill exceeds 30,000Ush, the business office will prepare two bills. One for 30,000Ush which will be dealt with as previously. The balance bill will be met by the attendant prior to discharge in the usual way.
Sister Grace or Festus will authorise payment on each occasion by writing NUTRITION PROGRAMME on the charges chart in red, and signing this notation.
High Energy Milk is part of the programme, and will be costed at 300 Ush per litre. This represents the cost of the cows’ milk.
Sister Grace is authorised to purchase sugar, oil, kerosene and other materials necessary to the programme using programme funds.
Sister Grace will arrange for a nurse assistant to prepare the High Energy Milk each morning between 6 and 7 am. She will also advise the mothers on the quantity and frequency of administration of the HEM. This will be done outside normal working hours. The nurse assistant responsible for this task will receive 20,000Ush per month from the programme funds.
A standing order will be set up, transferring 650,000Ush per month into the hospital account. This is made up of;
600,000Ush to meet patients’ bills
30,000Ush to purchase sugar, oil and kerosene
20,000Ush to pay the nurse assistant.
The treasurer will notify Sister Grace if the 600,000Ush has been used in any one month period.
Any moneys left over at the end of the month can be carried forward to the next month.
The programme will run for 6 months. At the end of that period the hospital will make a report outlining the successes and problems with the programme.
The hospital should seek continuing funding for the nutrition programme as a matter of urgency. Organisations such as UNICEF, SCF and Oxfam are likely sources of such funding.

jan.power@rosmellyn.cornwall.nhs.uk

Dr Janet Power and Dr Mark Russell