Fieldnotes from Tanzania
Supplies Facilitate Training at St. Raphael’s Hospital
Last year, MedWish sent a container shipment to St. Raphael’s Hospital in Korogwe, Tanzania. Brendan Knoblauch, with the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio coordinated this shipment. He traveled to Tanzania in May to see the impact this container has had on the hospital. He will remain at the hospital through most of the summer to coordinate training on medical equipment with other volunteers from Ohio who will arrive in a few weeks. St. Raphael’s Hospital is operated by the Anglican Church of Tanga, a region in Tanzania.
In a recent email, Brendan shared some of the early successes made possible by this shipment:
“I arrived in Korogwe a couple days ago. It was great to finally see the equipment being used. I think it really made a significant difference in the hospital,” he said.
Teaching aids like these have been used to form a skills laboratory to train medical attendants. The lab is a requirement for accreditation, which the hospital hopes to achieve in the next month.
Students also are able to observe surgeries, thanks to the scrubs MedWish supplied.
Once accreditation is achieved, St. Raphael’s will begin a certificate-level course in nursing. Already, 30 people have been trained to become medical attendants.
“Beds, tray tables and cabinets have helped to transform the maternity ward, making it much more comfortable for mothers and their babies,” Brendan said in his email. “Pumps, oxygen concentrators and examination tables also have been very helpful,” Brendan said.
Next Steps
The shipment also contained electrocardiograms, an ultrasound and other electrical equipment that the hospital staff are eager to learn about and put to use.
“The ultrasound will be the first of its kind in the region,” Brendan said.
Volunteers through the diocese will arrive in the coming weeks to set up, calibrate and train staff to use this equipment to promote maternal and child health, help monitor procedures and ensure St. Raphael’s Hospital continues on its path to self-sufficiency and improved health for this impoverished region of Tanzania.
Stay tuned for more photos and updates from Brendan. In August, MedWish plans to send a second container to the country to continue to support the hospital’s efforts toward self-sufficiency.
Wish them well!
Brendan and his fellow volunteers, along with Dr. Damian Mpundu of St. Raphael’s Hospital, are hard at work putting these supplies to use to train staff and grow their impact. Please leave a comment below with your well wishes, and we’ll email them to Brendan to show our support!
Thank You Med Wish!
The equipment is of great value.
I pray for it just to be a beginning.
Daniel