FOR YOUR STEADFAST LOVE IS HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENS,

AND YOUR FAITHFULLNESS REACHES TO THE CLOUDS. Ps. 108:4

Friends of Ndolage Friends Letter 2008

Ndolage Hospital P.O.Box 34 Kamachumu Kagera-Region Tanzania

26.8.2009

Dear Friends of Ndolage!

Today we invite you to read the report of a young volunteer who just completed her time at Ndolage 2 weeks ago:

“Bird calls, the lowing of my neighbour's cow, the russle of banana tree leaves in the wind (which I still haven't learned to distinguish from the fall of rain on our metal roofs), the shouting of the children in surrounding houses. I rub my eyes, creep out from under my mosquito net, and push aside the window curtains. I've become curious to see if it's really rain, or just those large leaves moving in the wind. It is the leaves, and the first rays of the sun are playing on the roofs. I am happy - a new day at Ndolage.

I'm Wiebke Werner, 20 years old, a volunteer of the UEM (United Evangelical Mission) and for the past 10 months, I have been awakening here just like this. “Here” is Eastern Africa, in Tanzania, on the western side of Lake Victoria, high up on the Kamachumu plateau, where Ndolage Hospital is located. Ndolage was founded in 1928 by missionaries of the Bethel Mission (the predecessor of the UEM). Today it is owned and operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. It enjoys a very good reputation because of its services and its medical-surgical specialists. It is unusually well-supplied with medical equipment, - supplies that are often lacking in other hospitals in this area. About 130,000 people inhabit the many scattered small villages of the immediate catchment area, but this area in northwestern Tanzania has almost 2 million inhabitants served by fewer than 30 physicians. Many of the villagers come on foot, a journey of many hours for some of them.

I'm helping on the women’s gynecologic-surgical ward, and today we are seeing some returning outpatients. Dressings will be changed and medications will be dispensed. On other wards, there is concern about malaria in children, infections or fractures in men, the welfare of pregnant mothers, or caring for HIV positive patients of all ages. There is much to do today, so last week's news that another physician staff member is leaving hangs over us all. Ndolage is a church hospital, and the church cannot afford the salary levels, especially for well-qualified specialists, offered in recent years by the government hospitals. So there is a continued loss of staff to these better-financed hospitals. Despite these uncertainties, there is also good news, adding a glimmer of hope for the future. On December 2, 2008, two new physicians from Denmark came to stay for 2 years, a new x-ray machine was recently installed, and a new 5-year plan is being formed around the many administrative challenges.

So I'm again back to the everyday morning hospital life. I show a woman with severe abdominal discomfort the way to the hospital business office so that she can pay for a recommended ultrasound examination. I overhear as, shy and a bit embarrassed, she tells them that she is actually waiting for her relatives to bring money from the village. I know about this kind of, “waiting,” from many patients. Sometimes it's two hours, or even many days. Then it becomes apparent that there is no such money. Many families live in villages without water and without a steady flow of harvest from their fields. Any money from the sale of extra food from their land, or from their unskilled labor, is needed to send their children to school. If there is a sudden unexpected medical need resulting in a clinic or hospital visit, there is no extra money. The treasurer of the hospital invites the woman into his office and talks with her. Is this possibly a case for the PPF? PPF stands for Poor Patients Fund, a kind of financial pot to help the poorest patients. During the last 2 years, it has been possible for the PPF to help finance the care for all children under age 5. The parents had only to pay 3000 Tanzanian shillings per child admitted in the hospital (2, - €). But this also increased the number of young patients receiving care, to 1,567 during this past year. All this children have been serious ill. So some 40,000.- Euro were used every year to offer this service. Unfortunately there have not been sufficient donations to offer this service also this year. So an investigation into the family finances must first be done, in order to find the neediest.

In order for the hospital to follow its mission to serve the poorer population, adequate funds are needed in this PPF. Although those at Ndolage responsible for maintaining this fund strive for increased local donations, the PPF in this economy will depend more on generous contributions from foreign countries. It would be wonderful if sufficient money would be received this year, enough to provide for all children, needed treatments just asking the parents to pay a small contribution of 2,- €.

On behalf of the hospital, heart-felt thanks to everyone who has had a part in this work.

Cordial greetings from Ndolage, and God's blessings to all!

Wiebke Werner”

This is his report, and we have no reason to add to it.

Dr. Onesmo Rwakyendela, Dr. in charge, N. Tinkamwesigile, Coordinator, Dr. Frank Beier

Bank account in Germany for donations:

Vereinte Ev. Mission, KD-Bank, BLZ 350 601 90, Konto-Nr.: 90 90 90 8, Purpose: Code Ndolage-PPF and complete address for the donation certificate. (For better planning a standing order is very helpful)

Contact:

Coordinator PPF, Mr. Tinkamwesigile: elctnwdppf@yahoo.com

Hospital Administration: elctndolage@yahoo.com

Dr. Onesmo Rwakyendela: onesmor2000@yahoo.co.uk

Dr. Frank Beier: SilkeFrankB@web.de, Tiefenstr. 4, 33824 Werther, Germany Tel. 0049-5203-296971