Christine with Florian and Fritz
After a long Corona break a visit to St. Francis Hospital was finally possible this year. (02.09. - 01.10.22)
It was three years ago - due to Corona Pandemic - that we last were in Ifakara. Therefore we had first to get an overview of what was particularly necessary.
The thermal solar system, built in 2010, did not work.
The aging X-ray machine was out of order.
Quite a few mosquito nets were missing.
A laundry machine was broken.
The solar system was repaired by Bernd Wolff of the German development aid organization BEGECA, but can now be
handled only manually.
The washing machine was repaired with a spare part bought in Dar es Salaam.
We also bought 450 mosquito nets.
Siemens sent us a new circuit board for the X-ray machine by express freight. It was installed by a technician of Pacific Diagnostics. However, it turned out that the circuit board was not the main cause of malfunction. Quite to the contrary, much more expensive repairs would be necessary. Since the production of this device was discontinued and the contract between the hospital and Pacific Diagnostic will end in March 2023 the question arises if it is worth repairing at all. It will probably be necessary to purchase a new device. Unfortunately, association lacks the necessary funds.
Our two "newbies" Wallner Fritz and Schrott Florian were in Ifakara for the first time. They are both experienced nurses and have enthusiastically thrown themselves into the task of working in the wards. It was a culture shock for them, but let's let them tell themselves.
In the following report they tell their story.
