IMA Information

During the April 2009 SSHP mission team to Bor, Southern Sudan, members met with Dr. Makina A. Nganga of Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) World Health. According to its website, “IMA World Health is a nonprofit organization that provide health care services and supplies to vulnerable and marginalized people.”(www.imaworldhealth.org) As a faith-based organization, IMA mainly works in developing countries.

IMA World Health began in 1960 and works with many member agencies including the United Methodist Church General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM), the Episcopal Church, Lutheran World Relief, the Church of the Brethren, the Presbyterian Church, and many more. Based on a belief that communities, regions and nations can develop their own health care system, IMA World Health promotes “self-reliance and sustainable solutions.”

One of IMA’s field offices operates in Bor, Southern Sudan where Dr. Makina serves as the Jonglei state team leader. The organization uses its knowledge from its successful work in the Democratic Republic of Congo which is Dr. Makina’s home. IMA collaborates with Southern Sudan’s Ministry of Health to provide basic health services for people there. The $26-million program is funded by the World Bank’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund and is focused on establishing and improving basic health care services in the Jonglei and Upper Nile States where approximately two million Southern Sudanese live.

IMA’s work will be conducted in three phases. Phase one includes the training of trainers for the state hospital health administration and medical staff in six of the eleven counties. Phase two includes the training of health centers staff. Phase three includes the training of Home Health Promoters (HHP) and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs.) A 30-day training for clinical officers, midwives, and TBAS will be done by United Nations Family and Population Agency (UNFPA) and managed by Obstetrics and Family Planning Health. IMA CBPHC training for the HHPs will focus on health assessments and surveillance, counseling, health education and prevention, First Aid, extended programs of vaccination (EPV) national plan, and community based treatment for malaria and TB. For TBAs and midwives the focus will be on growth monitoring and safe midwifery practices and labor complication referrals.

IMA funding is not sufficient at this time to cover all 11 counties and IMA is looking for NGOs/FBOs to partner with to cover the gaps in CBPHC training coverage as well as in data collection for health information sharing. Complete coverage will depend upon IMA’s ability to fund raise beyond the 36 month funded period. Eventually, the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) is to take over the health care program, but currently GOSS lacks the funding and trained staff to do so. Medical facilities need structural revitalization, equipment and supplies, and monitoring and evaluation procedures need to be developed and implemented.

According to Chalres Franzen, senior program officer with IMA World Health, who commented on Southern Sudan’s issues, “This is the worst health care situation that exists in the world. The vast majority of people in South Sudan have never had health services of any kind.” IMA’s impact could improve many lives