This Gillett clinic from 1983 was in very good condition thanks to the RBF grant. Storage arrangements for medicines were excellent, the best we saw. John Gillett would have been proud of ‘his’ clinic.
We were entertained with a very imaginative song and dance routine by children and women, neatly including a musical ‘wish list’ for future support from FUM !
Nick Vinall
FUM Treasurer
Both the clinic and the staff house were looking good, with toilets and 'bathrooms'.
There is an “acting medical officer” who came across as very good and also intelligent.
The rainwater harvesting is functioning well with a large concrete water tank (pictured above) + 2 SIM tanks by the staff house.
There were no sheets for the beds and no mosquito nets.
The village held a grand reception for the Cranbrook School group, with a cow, a goat and a chicken being cooked !
Mrs Taylor was presented with a goat that now has its home at Mwanhala FDC.
Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer
The Clinic Officer, Robert Uganga and a Nurse Auxiliary, Lucas Juma run a dispensary with medication kept in their gas power fridge and a good clinic to support the mothers and children from the three surrounding villages.
They are grateful for the mattresses and mosquito nets provided by the FUM in the past but due the clinic being very small they have no recovery room for delivered mums, so these are rarely used.
There is an active vaccination programme here, vaccinating up to 50 youngsters each day! The staff use their own bicycle to do outreach work to provide vaccination for children whose mum’s do not bring them in for their boosters. Robert Uganga said they usually deliver 15 – 20 babies each month and most clinics will see around 50 patients.
Malilta Clinic runs a good PMPTC service, which works to prevent transmission of HIV from mothers to babies. HIV tests are done at the clinic, after counselling, but follow-up care depends on patients being able to get to the Clinics in Nzega.
Much good advice is given by the trained staff here though, especially at the their Family Planning Clinic where advice is given, such as only breast feeding for 6 months, plus lots of advice on safer sex and provision of condoms and Norplant (hormonal contraceptives implanted subcutaneously into women’s arms). They also have the necessary drugs to enable HIV+ve mother’s to have natural birth without infecting their babies.
There is a rain-water harvesting system, shown here, collecting rain from the clinic roof and from the staff house, provided by funds from Cranbrook School, providing water for the clinic and patients.
The clinic did not have a functioning Blood Pressure Monitor so Cranbrook School purchased one and had it delivered via the Village Executive Officer. They have weighing scales for the new born babies but there is a pressing need for adult scales.
Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer