The health center of the Mutumba mission station with its hospital, outpatient clinic and maternity ward is the first and often only contact point for medical care and advice for the people of the region. The buildings were constructed decades ago with very simple means. The maternity ward could already be renovated a few years ago. In addition, a large waiting room was built and the sanitary facilities were renewed. Now the new construction of a small hospital is pending. It currently has about 40 beds, most of which are occupied. In addition to the normal diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, worms, skin diseases, anemia and malnutrition, there are cases of cholera, malaria and typhoid fever. Many people, especially children, suffer from burns from hot water or fire.
Last year the nurses treated 16,557 outpatients. 2,092 were received by the doctor in consultation hours. The doctor was also able to examine 331 pregnant women by ultrasound. In the hospital, 1,433 sick people were treated and 3,317 pre-birth and 770 post-birth examinations were carried out. In the maternity ward 607 children were born. 4,379 infants were vaccinated. 1769 people were examined for AIDS; 86 people living with the AIDS virus were treated at the center. 30 tuberculosis patients and 3 leprosy patients received the necessary medication. 264 severely malnourished children received the therapeutic food and 88 infants received infant milk.
The people are often not able to pay the treatment costs. Many patients need medication for the rest of their lives, which is very expensive. With the help of donations, the sisters here are able to give some support. Sister M. Lisette reports:
“Recently a mother who receives the milk for her infant from us said that although she no longer had money for the bus to go back, she could easily spend the night at the side of the road if she only had the milk for her child. Of course we gave her the fare, so that she was overjoyed when she took the bus back home.
A teenager suffers from epilepsy. During a seizure she fell into the fireplace where food was prepared. She was alone at home and had to wait a long time for rescue help. When we arrived at the hospital, we thought that the foot would have to be amputated. When the nurse told her this, she started to cry and complained that she was then disabled. So we tried to treat the burn. In the meantime she has been in the hospital for five months. Although a handicap will remain, the foot was saved and she can go home soon. The family is very grateful for the recovery and the financial help, since she is very poor and could not pay for the treatment herself.
Jean-Marie has tuberculosis and is staying in our center. Due to his illness he is very emaciated and weak. When a Sister came by in the evening, he stood in front of his room and said: “Sister I’m hungry, we have nothing to eat.” We gave him rice, beans and dried fish for the next days, which he received with great gratitude. In Africa, it is usually the families themselves who have to provide food for their hospitalized patients, but we help the individuals when we see that they are poor”.
Sister Mariana Hermann
Keyword: Mutumba Health Center
Mission Center of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary
Mount Schoenstatt 6
56179 Vallendar
Phone: (0261) 64 04-311
E-mail: missionszentrale@s-ms.org
Bank details: LIGA Bank eG
IBAN: EN10 7509 0300 0000 058920
BIC: GENODEF1M05