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April Update from Nyakato, TanzaniaHello all,
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Happy Day! You came through for us! Our workers are working! Progress is going forward. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. What an astounding relief.
We have enough to keep us going for this month and next if we’re very, very careful. We paid the Social Security we owed for December and March and are up to date now. Each of our workers knows how important the work is and they’re working hard done in a timely manner. Debbie Chong’s OB/Gyn team is coming this week-end. We have a long list of patients lined up for the services this team offers. The construction crew gets a goat party if the birthing center is ready for patients by Monday. Energy abounds! Thank you. Thank you, God.
We’re having to build a new incinerator, too as the old metal one finally succumbed to rust and heat and almost fell in on itself. We’re using burnt bricks this time. We have to have an adequate incinerator in order to maintain our standing with the Ministry of Health. Tanzania sets very strict standards for health care delivery and we strive to comply with all of them because they make good sense. Our standards are high, too. It is our goal to deliver the best health care possible with the equipment and personnel we have. We’re striving to build a little jewel of a hospital and you’re helping us do it. Our goal is about 120 beds.
The working plan for now is to finish the birthing center, then finish the upgrading (change in plumbing plan) for the Patricia Ward. Then we’ll go back to work on the eye center but dedicate one of the O.R.s to a dental suite until we can build a dental clinic. We have a dentist, Dexter Quiggle, coming in August to help set it up and start giving care. The container with the equipment is due in port right now.
Speaking of containers….the next container will come from Mississippi and Craig Bjorgum will be staging it. Craig is an architect. We have a long list of tools we need. Craig has the list and several people are on a treasure hunt to find/buy those tools. Craig is managing it to control unnecessary duplication. If you have anything you are waiting to send us, please contact Craig at craig@belindastewartarchitects.com. The tool list:
Construction needs for Nyakato:
A note from Selemani Shabani, our Project Manager: Dear friends and supporters of International health partners, Tanzania.
The 1 ½ months have been extremely busy. We are trying to finish the birthing center. We are hoping this building will be almost done by next week except the wall tiles and floor tiles. The building has got water now and electricity. The building looks great!
I am taking this opportunity to thank all of our dear friends and supporters of IHP-TZ for all your help! We know and we understand the economic problem for the whole world. We were down to almost nothing in the bank, then decided to ask for your help and support. Thank God and thank you very much for all you gave to IHP-TZ. Now we are going on with our daily normal activities and this is because of you! I say thank you, thank you very much! In Maasai, I can say ashe-naleng. May God bless you. Sele.
Paula writing again: It is important that you know that all medical equipment must be approved by the TFDA, Tanzania Food and Drug Administration. We cannot accept old, out-dated equipment of any kind. So, when you think of sending us equipment, it must be useable, and in good working order. We’ll need to know what it is, the manufacturer, model number, and value. Because we work with the church we do not have to pay Customs, but we must comply with all the rules to bring things in duty free. It is illegal (and unsafe) to put medications in a container and we never do it. All medications brought in must also be approved by the TFDA. We get that done for medication brought in by teams or individuals for use at Nyakato Health Center.
We have a need for used laptops. We do not suggest they go into the container, but if you have one (or more), please e-mail me and we’ll talk about the best way to get it here (hand-carried by a guest/volunteer). We are scholarshipping several college students and they really need laptops in today’s world but here they’re far too expensive for students. Also, we need them in the clinic.
It is only 22 weeks until Den and I return to the U.S. to do fundraising. If you’d like to see the pictures of what we do, and help us do more, just ask us and we’ll be there. No group is too small. We do lots of “coffee table” presentations. We speak at churches, service clubs, in restaurants and in people’s homes. This is the year for the upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
We return to Kansas City on Sept. 21st because my 50th high school class reunion is the following week-end. (Where did the years go?) We speak in Eudora, KS on Sept. 26th, 2010. Tentatively we speak in Matteson, IL on October 3, 4, 5, or 6. We speak in Sayner, WI on October 10th.
The Nobel Conference in St. Peter, MN is on Oct. 12th and 13th. We never miss that. Mayo Clinic Reviews for our continuing education are Oct. 25, 26, 27th. That’s all we have on the planner so far. We want to go to Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California before returning to Kansas City and back to Tanzania in January or February. If you are in those areas of the U.S., and would like for us to do our presentation, please let us know so we can start planning the trip with the best possible use of time and gas.
In addition to building, we have the opportunity to have a well put in for about $18,000. If you’d like to contribute to this fund, please do so. We have a special account just for “the water project.” We have had a survey done and know there are three places under the site that should have good water. Our water supply from the city is inadequate for a hospital. Having our own well will create a safe, sure water supply for us, our patients, and our staff.
For all of those who came to our rescue with emergency gifts we say a HUGE THANK YOU; and to others who care enough to read this, we ask that you consider pledging monthly so that we can budget our building and other needs and provide secure employment for our construction crew, 8 men and 12 women. Each one supports a family.
Our patient load is growing and we need to expand this facility. It is your gifts that make it possible. With pledging (a budget) we can figure out what to do and when, what to buy and when, and how to plan what can be done each month.
Paul Augustinack writing: My name is Paul Augustinack. I am thirteen years old and in the seventh grade at Forestview Middle School in Baxter, Minnesota. In the fall I heard you, Dennis and Paula, speak to our confirmation class at Lord of Life Lutheran Church. After your talk, I decided to make “HOPE” bracelets and sell them for $5 each. Gail Brecht, a member at Lord of Life Church and my best friend, Evan’s mom, helped me order the beads and tie off the bracelets. All the beads we used were made from glass, wood, shells, or rock. Pastors Erika Nilson, Darrell Pedersen, and Lilja Behr and all the congregation of Lord of Life Church were very supportive of the project.
With the help of my family and friends, we made approximately 650 bracelets and have raised $2725.00 for the health care mission work in Tanzania. Enclosed is a check from Lord of Life Lutheran Church. Also, I have enclosed a few bracelets for your employees to continue to provide “HOPE” for the people of Tanzania.
Sincerely, Paul Augustinack
Paula writing: Den Lofstrom decided at 13 years old to become a mission doctor. This young man, 13 years of age, is helping that doctor save lives in Tanzania today. We used the money to put the water system into the Bogumil Birthing Center. In Tanzania, 13,000 women a year die in childbirth and 140 newborns die every day. Most of this is preventable. By simply providing a clean delivery area we are preventing infection and water is vital to that. Each woman delivering in our safe birthing center will have a room with a private sink, toilet and shower and thanks to Paul, all the plumbing now works. Thank you, Paul. Thank you Lord of Life Lutheran Church and all those that supported Paul’s marvelous efforts. Thank you, God.
Medical students writing: We are 6 final year medical students from Manchester University, in the UK. We are in our 4th week here at Nyakato Health Centre. We chose to do our elective placement in Tanzania to experience the realities of health care in central Africa. Our first week was spent in the health centre with Dr Bon, Dr Msengi and Dr Vicky, helping to clerk and examine patients. Here, we saw first-hand the preponderance of malaria and typhoid – making up the bulk of consultations. We have been taught how medicine is practiced in resource- and fund-limited circumstances – the number of investigations ordered and medications prescribed dictated by what each patient can afford. We have had the opportunity to spend time in the lab with Jimmy who manages to perform hundreds of investigations each day, taking all the bloods and samples himself, with just a microscope and a few solutions and test kits. We have seen Dr Bon perform tooth extractions and minor surgeries and learned to do abdominal and pelvic ultrasounds ourselves! In addition, we learn more Swahili each day from Mboto (Paula’s very wonderful driver), JJ (6 year old neighbor), Lucy (our fantastic cook) and all the doctors and nurses at the clinic.
We also had the chance to each spend a week at Sekou Toure, the local hospital, where we attended maternity, pediatric and adult medicine ward rounds, Caesarian-sections and normal deliveries. The massive shortage of doctors, conditions on the wards and acute lack of resources has made it shockingly apparent how important it is to build the hospital here in Nyakato. Patients were two, occasionally three to a bed. Often only inappropriate antibiotics were available, oxygen and suction was limited to ICU, urinalysis could take up to three days if it happened at all, patients were denied x-ray investigations if they were too sick to walk to the lab and wait several hours… I could go on. We saw preventable illnesses leading to death and that has truly spurred us on to help with the construction work here and raise money through our Kilimanjaro climb which we will undertake at the end of our placement!
On a lighter note, Denny and Paula have been fantastic hosts, we look forward to breakfast every morning (different and delicious every single day) with more awe-inspiring life stories and educational hand-outs as an accompaniment. They have taken us into town to the local markets, to the pool bar here in Nyakato, to a restaurant out on the shores of the lake. Our weekends have been spent on Rubondo Island and in the Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater (absolutely go if you get the chance) seeing elephants, lions, hippos, baboons, rhino, leopard…etc etc. We have come within metres of crocodiles, spent the night under canvas in a field of Buffalo (terrifying!) and featured in the music video of a Tanzanian Gospel Choir filming at the hostel behind our house. All in all an incredible and life-changing experience which I think we would all recommend to anyone and everyone!
Paula writing again: The idea to ask for help by e-mail came to me in prayer. Was it real? Was it wishful thinking? But, “Trust God” has been my mantra. So, I wrote and asked you. And you answered and sent the help we needed to keep going. God put it in my mind to ask and in your mind to come to our rescue. Thank you. Thank you, God.
Blessings and gratitude, Paula and Den
Webmaster Rex Thompson writing: This was not part of Paula's original update but I wanted to add this note. As all readers of the update and most visitors to the web site already know IHP-US/TZ depends on you, our loyal supporters. We truly appreciate everything you do to help us improve the health care services in Tanzania. Your response to Paula's Plea for help last month was very moving. As someone who has had the chance to see first hand the good IHP-TZ is doing at Nyakato, I would like to add my thank you! I've never been more proud of any organization and their supporters as I am IHP-US/TZ and you.
You may continue to support us by donating through our website, or sending a check to:
International Health Partners, US & TZ Joyce Zemel, Treasurer 1811 So. 39th St. #36 Mesa, AZ 85206
I would also like to apologize for any inconveniences you may have had last month with receiving the update, making donations through JustGive, or accessing the web site. Technology can be both a blessing and a challenge, for us, last month was a challenge. Rex Allen Thompson
Now, lets look at some pictures!
Dr. Bon with small Patient
Medical Student from U.K. with patient
Exterior of Birthing Center
Interior of birthing center
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April 2010
Newsletter
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