Nyasa Clinic

The solar pump is now installed and pumps water from the underground tank to the small high level SIM tank. This height provides the pressure for filling containers.

The large 96,000 litre underground rainwater harvesting tank was completed in March and has been tested. The raised platform for the existing smaller plastic SIM tank has now been completed and this will gravity feed water to the adjacent clinic. The final stage will be to install a small solar powered pump to raise water from the underground tank to the SIM tank. The system has zero running costs and a life expectancy of over 20 years. We are very grateful to Mr Godfrey Israel, MD of the local water company, for supervising this project for FUM.

After a five hour drive from Urambo we found this large clinic to be in pretty good condition, with the government funded improvements nearing completion. There is a medical officer and two nurses though one was on leave. Solar panels provide power for lighting and, unusually, the vaccine fridge. The large entrance area gives an excellent waiting area and is also used for public health displays and talks.

There are three maternal delivery beds. The 4-year old German-made one has been problem free whereas the much newer but rather flimsy Chinese ones have already needed several repairs.

Water is still a big problem. The clinic has to pay for it to be brought from the top of a 100m high hill about 1 km away - bizarre ! With the help of an anonymous donor FUM is paying for the clinic's large roof area to harvest rainwater into a new 96,000 litres subterranean concrete tank. A solar pump will raise the water as needed into a 2000 litre plastic tank for filling containers. Villagers started the manual digging for the concrete tank early in 2018 with completion of the scheme expected by April.

Nick Vinall
FUM Treasurer

The District Medical officer in Kaliua told us that the clinic is open and working well. There are two nurses and one medical attendant. There should be two staff houses but one is still incomplete so all are sharing the one house. A shallow well was built but it was unsuccessful so the staff have to collect water from the village, about 1 km away, in buckets.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

Nyasa is a remote, sparsely populated village on the edge of Kaliua District and the clinic was much needed. Sutton Coldfield Rotary Club, a partner of FUM, generously offered to provide the £6000 needed. When building work started Nyasa village was in Urambo District but government re-organisation switched it to Kaliua District.

After the building work was completed a Cranbrook School group painted the walls with the expectation that Kaliua Council would supply the medical equipment and staff, in line with normal practice. That was over three years ago.

However we understand from the Kaliua District Medical Officer, Dr John Mwombeki, that the clinic has received its licence and is now functioning.

There is no water supply here, and no rain water harvesting, but apparently there is a local bore hole.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer