News & Events

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

When this clinic was visited in August 2011 it was closed as the Clinical Officer was on his annual leave. The villagers however were full of praise for his dedication and hard work.

As well as ante-natal care the staff there run PMTCT clinics, which give advice on how to prevent transfer of HIV from mother to child. There is currently no nurse employed at the clinic, but the CO has some helpers from the village.

Water is a problem. When FUM Officers Frank Charles and Janeth John (pictured) visited the village they found that the well behind the clinic was dry.

It is hoped that this will be one of the places included in FUM's focus on water.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

The clinic serves a population of 1200+, with 40% of these being under 5 years old . There are approximately 8 deliveries per month, and about 20 patients visit the clinic each day.

The nurse offers HIV testing for pregnant women, though there were no test kits in stock when the clinic was visited. But there is no follow up advice and counselling at Maboha, HIV +ve mums would have to travel to Urambo for this support.

The clinic does offer contraceptive advice though, and provides condoms and hormone pills and injections, plus advice on safer sex and proper condom use.

The clinic has a gas fridge, but had no gas at the time of the visit. This was later reported to the DMO at the District Hospital who was aware of the shortage and said gas would be delivered soon.

The nurse has a bicycle for outreach work, and the clinic has a tank for rain water harvesting. The clinic appeared slightly shabby, but it was definitely functioning, and seen as a huge benefit to this rather remote village.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

The clinic is very busy and the staffing is the same as in 2013, a good sign.

The previously dilapidated and overgrown open well has been fully refurbished but the other well in the village is in need of attention. The ceiling above the clinic veranda is currently propped up and looks a little precarious !

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

There are now 3 buildings, the original dispensary, the clinic, plus a new maternity delivery building financed by World Vision. The new delivery house has tiled walls, delivery suite, showers & toilets (not yet working as they have insufficient water), staff area, waiting room. It has good solar lighting. Wonderful!

The dispensary has no power, the clinic has some solar lighting, financed by the local MP.

Staff There is one nursing officer who is very good. She is so committed that she and her husband have built their own house nearby. There are up to 6 helpers from the village.

The only water supply is from shallow well ½ km away but this can dry up in dry season. Cranbrook School is looking to finance rain water harvesting - hopefully. Their number one priority is to have SIM tanks for water.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

Now VERY remote and not an easy journey ! There is no local transport.

The staff house still looks good. One very good medical officer and one nurse, plus village helpers. There are toilets for the clinic plus one for the staff. One small solar panel gives some light but not enough power.

It needs a permanent water supply to replace the rainwater harvesting (but SIM tanks in place) and there is no placenta pit. The new building is.....still being built.

There is a clinical officer, Mr Maguta, 2 nurse attendants (lovely ladies!) and 3 outreach workers. They see about half the pregnant mums in the village – some just don’t look for help and some go to Nzega. The clinic will soon be offering CTC support for people living with HIV.

Three strong new bikes for outreach work were purchased using funds sent previously that had got 'stuck' in the village account but were magically released !

Problems they see are:
Not enough space – no privacy for outpatients. No permanent water source – they use the local well, 2 km away. Transport problems – some mums deliver “on the way” to the clinic. The planned 'ambulance' will help here.

Positives: they save lives!

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

The clinic is well used, with good staff, but could do with some refurbishment. The doctor's house has a significant roof problem. There is a new delivery bed for births.

The group received a full and rather fierce looking Sung-Sungu greeting under “the tree”.

An elderly man was delighted to show us a photo of John Gillett (FUM's co-founder) under the same tree back in early ‘80s.

He then read a lovely speech for Priscilla Gillett, John's widow.

Jo Taylor
FUM Medical Liaison Officer

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 child health care clinic is open 3 days a week and generally sees 100 children at each clinic.

There is an active vaccination programme running, though 85% of the illnesses seen is malaria, and the paediatric ward said the most common illness they see is complicated malaria.

The HIV clinic runs an active programme which works to prevent transfer of HIV from mother to child. Patients visit this clinic monthly and receive good and free medication, provided by the government. The HIV clinic is open 3 days a week and usually sees 60 – 70 patients each day. Patients are reliant on their relatives to provide them with food and some care. There are only 7 delivery beds in the maternity ward and this can be insufficient some nights, though the staff here were very friendly and positive. The operating theatre appeared basic but clean. The elective day for operations is Tuesday with only emergency operations being done on other days.

The X-ray department works daily, mostly chest X-rays checking for TB linked to HIV, pneumonia, and also for injuries, many from road traffic accidents, a knock-on effect from the faster traffic on the tarmac roads. The laundry has 3 brand new machines but usually only one is working, mostly due to the lack of staff. There is a real lack of funds to pay these workers and the hospital tends to rely on retired people working for a very low wage.

Jo Taylor
FUM Clinics Liaison Officer