On Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that it provided a hospital in Wadi Al-Shati, southern Libya, with critical medical equipment and supplies for maternal healthcare and lab analysis.
In a tweet, the IOM added that this was implemented with support from the European Union in Libya. The UN body explained that the frail healthcare system in southern Libya is “marked by a chronic shortage of essential medicine and supplies.”
“With support from the European Union, IOM provided the Gagem Village Hospital with critical equipment that will improve access to quality Representative, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) services,” it added.
It noted that the new equipment, including an imaging device and a new CBC device, will “facilitate the diagnosis of diseases and reinforce the local health capacity of residents.”
The organisation added that it will also “contribute to improving people’s lives,” as they no longer need to travel for lab tests, and can benefit from local services.
Director of the Gagem Village Hospital, Mohamed Saad thanked the IOM for the support, noting that the “equipment will contribute to the local health capacity, including basic medical services, such as general emergency and women’s health through the new ultrasound scanner and CTG machine to monitor the fetal heartbeat.”
“We also received oxygen tanks and personal protective equipment. For proper sterilization of tools, the autoclave machine that we received is an essential part of any infection control measures,” Saad said.
The Director pointed out that residents will benefit greatly from the equipment “as they will not have to travel long to get healthcare, and referrals to the private sector can be minimised as well.”