By Kei Emmanuel Duku
At the Munuki Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC), the phone’s flashlight saves a life amid darkness.
The facility struggles with unreliable power supply, a challenge that hampers its ability to provide essential medical services. When the lights go out, so too does the hospital’s capacity to deliver critical care, particularly during emergencies and nighttime deliveries.
Without a stable power source, vital medical equipment becomes inoperable, posing life-threatening risks for patients in urgent need of attention.
For expectant, mothers arriving at night, the absence of reliable lighting can be especially daunting.
Dr. Pitia Jambiri, the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Clinic-In-Charge at Munuki PHCC stated that in the absence of a reliable power system, nurses have had to rely on mobile phones and torches to assist pregnant mothers during deliveries.
He noted that the lack of reliable electricity has discouraged many expectant mothers from choosing Munuki PHCC for their deliveries.
He said on a daily basis, about 8 to 10 mothers give birth in the Health Centre with the help of health expert.
“Delivering a mother in a dark room jeopardizes the safety of the mother, child, and healthcare worker. In such conditions, it’s easy to accidentally discard syringes, which can lead to injuries and the risk of contracting diseases like HIV/AIDS. Without adequate lighting, it’s difficult to follow all the necessary procedures for a safe delivery, putting both the mother and child at risk. Due to these challenges, deliveries at Munuki PHCC have declined as mothers are hesitant to come to a facility without proper lighting,” stated Dr. Jambiri.
The medic reported that the health facility currently operates on a 60-70 watt solar panel donated by a company and JEDCO power. However, this capacity is insufficient for the facility’s needs, particularly during peak times at night when deliveries are high.
He noted that the maternity and labor ward at Munuki PHCC lacks any power source, which is essential for lighting, charging torches and phones used by midwives, and disinfecting equipment for minor surgeries, such as wound dressings and circumcision.
“Midwives often resort to using mobile phones or torches during deliveries, which is not ideal. Imagine trying to hold a phone or torch while performing the intricate procedures involved in childbirth. It’s a challenging and precarious situation for both mothers and healthcare workers at Munuki PHCC,” he said.
The situation would be much easier if we had adequate human resources. Ideally, one or two staff members could focus on holding the light while others assist with the delivery, but currently, this responsibility falls on a single individual and you can’t stop attending to a patient after your light has gone off.”
He noted that there are times when the phone batteries and torches of healthcare workers go off while assisting a mother in labor, forcing them to borrow mobile phones from other patients in the facility.
Meanwhile, Margret Wani Duku Mono, the In-Charge of Munuki PHCC-Maternity Ward, stated that one of the main challenges faced by midwifery is the lack of a stable and adequate lighting system at the maternity ward in the health facility.
She pointed out that inconsistent power systems have negative effects on patient care, especially in maternity wards where timely interventions are critical.
The absence of power has compromised the quality of care and poses risks to patient safety during childbirth and other emergency procedures.
Mrs. Margret mentioned that the maternity ward at Munuki PHCC is under-equipped and lacks an Oxygen Plant to operate machines for supporting preterm babies, which has been worsened by the absence of electricity to operate the machines.
Preterm babies are children born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, usually between the 34th and 36th week of pregnancy.
“The maternity ward and labor room at Munuki PHCC lack electricity, making it difficult to operate essential machines for preterm babies and hindering our ability to provide adequate support to women during childbirth. Without sufficient lighting, it’s impossible to work effectively at night. How can I stitch a wound without being able to see clearly? Sometimes, there are overflows from women, and I can’t even see what’s happening on the floor,” stated Margret.
She, however, stated that despite the numerous challenges pregnant mothers go through, there has been no case of mortalities registered at the health facility.
It is because of these challenges that a Lebanese Company (I Engineering Company) donated 10 KW Solar Panel System to the Primary Health Care Centre.
Speaking at a launch of 10 KW Solar Panel System, Dr. Jambiri expressed gratitude to the administration of the Munuki PHCC for collaborating with the private sector to enhance health services for expectant mothers seeking antenatal care service (ATC) at the facility.
He expressed his enthusiasm for the new development. “With the solar system, we can now provide smoother and more efficient service delivery at the maternity ward,” he stated. “The improved quality of care will create a safer environment for mothers and babies, leading to a significant increase in the number of deliveries,” noted Jambiri.
He further added that the solar power system will provide a reliable and sustainable source of electricity, ensuring that midwives can work in optimal conditions.
Meanwhile, Eng. Ahmed Mohamed Abdelaziz, the Vice President of I Engineering Company in South Sudan said the donation is part of the social cooperate responsibility of the company to the communities they are serving.
The 10KW installed Solar system will be used to power the maternity ward and the entire Munuki PHCC yards however, 100% of the routine maintenance cost will be incurred by leng Company.
He said Munuki PHCC was selected because of the challenges expectant mothers seeking ATC go through at the health facility and also to celebrate the life of Lana Saadeh, a former employee of “Ieng Company” who passed on after a short illness, leaving behind twins.
“Munuki PHCC is a valued client, and we are committed to providing exceptional maintenance for all energy systems within the health facility. Our ongoing support will ensure that mothers have easy access to maternity services during labor. We promise regular visits to guarantee efficient service delivery,” Stated Abdulaziz.
Despite the challenges faced by health workers at Munuki PHCC, Angla Andrea, a mother of five, expressed her preference for the facility over Juba Teaching Hospital and other health centers in the city.
She praised the quality of treatment and care provided to sick and pregnant mothers seeking medical attention.
Mrs. Andrea shared that for her first four children, she had to deliver at Juba Teaching Hospital and Guri PHCC due to power issues at Munuki PHCC. However, when she delivered her fifth child at Munuki PHCC, she noticed a significant improvement in patient management.
“I gave birth to some of my 2 Kids here (Munuki PHCC) in 2018, I came in the evening and gave birth in the morning but while I was in the labor room, I showed the nurses struggling with torches, others running up and down the room using their phone lights, health workers have a human face for patients, their drugs are cheap,” recounted Andrea.