| CONSOLATA HOSPITAL IKONDA
TANZANIA
10 YEARS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY ACTIVITIES
GUESTBOOK |
Tanzania is a large country in sub-equatorial Africa with a mixed population,
legacy of a colonial era that ended in 1961.
Across the nation one can breathe and taste the tradition and transition,
exploitation and independence; a turbulent past, an uncertain present and an
unknown future. The only certainty that is present is widespread destitution,
making Tanzania one of the poorest countries in the world.
The three great battles of Nyerere: the fight against poverty, ignorance and
disease are encountered daily with the lengthening of a severe economic crisis
that sees no end.
The chronic shortage of funds and increasing costs of the health sector have
seriously deteriorated the fabric of the health system to a level where it is
impossible to repair in any significant measure. Inadequate or non-existent
pharmaceuticals and operating instruments have resulted in a dramatic lowering
of the quality of health care. The situation has worsened with an increase in
the demand for medical services due to an increase in population (37 million)
and the tragedy of HIV/AIDS (60% of young people aged 15-19 are HIV positive).
In this extremely difficult economic and health environment, operates the Ikonda
Hospital of the Consolata Missionaries of Turin. The hospital is situated at an
altitude of 2,000 metres in a particularly poverty stricken and isolated area.
Just to reach the capital from here one has to drive for two days in an off road
vehicle. The hospital was built in the 60’s to combat a maternity and infant
mortality rate that surpassed almost 50% of all births. At first the activities
were limited to obstetrics but it soon became necessary to expand the building
in order to make way for other health needs. Currently the hospital has 200 beds,
two operating theatres with autoclaves, a radiology room, a diagnostic
laboratory, a rehabilitation centre for undernourished children, two pre-nursing
schools and laboratory, as well as having available a sufficient quantity of the
more important medicines. The Ikonda Hospital serves a population of about
200,000 people. Naturally it helps all those who are in need of medical
assistance regardless of race, colour or religion.
It’s in this place that, over 10 years ago, I first began my ophthalmologic
adventure with the optician Piergiorgio Armani. After an initial exploratory
visit we set up a clinic with the more indispensable instruments and later
fitted out an operating theatre for eye surgery. A young “medical assistant” was
also instructed so as to be able to tackle the more routine day to day eye
problems. For a month every year we have spent our holidays in Ikonda visiting
the more serious cases and operating on patients noted for attention by the
medical assistant during periodic house calls in the villages. Later, more
people joined us making each mission to the region more effective and fruitful,
be it from the medical as well as the surgical perspective.
During these years we have conducted thousands of consultations, distributed
medicine and glasses, and operated on tens of patients. Alongside the hospital
activities we also initiated a medical-surgical service in various dispensaries
in the Savannah where – if one can believe it’s possible – the health situation
is even worse.
From these experiences we gained much personal and professional satisfaction and
something worthwhile was accomplished. However, the immediate needs are still
daily and ongoing, and our sporadic presence can only be considered insufficient
to tackle the enormous problems. We hope that soon others will take the steep
road to Ikonda because, whilst poverty exists, there will always be a need for
our helping hand.
A special thankyou to the Sisters and Brothers of the Consolata Mission in
Tanzania and the Ujewa mission who welcomed us with hospitality and friendship.
(translated by R. Tuppini
http://australialanguage.com)
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