On Tuesday, Jan Smits flew a medical team from Brandt Mission Hospital in Chimala to the village of Madundas, Tanzania.
Collecting the doctor and two nurses at 8am, they arrived in Madundas half an hour later. The 68km overland journey would take 2 hours during the dry season, and is totally unpredictable during the rainy season. For the medical team, being away for only one day instead of two or three by road, makes the work of the mobile clinic viable both for the people of Chimala AND the people in Madundas.
A day's work
The primary focus for the medical team was mother and child care. During the day:
• 269 vaccinations were administered to children, including BCG, Polio, DPT and Measles
• 73 pregnant women were examined and received counseling
• 35 people received Tetanus vaccinations
DPT is a combination vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus. This, and the polio vaccination, require a course of repeat incoluation to be effective. The ability of the medical team to regularly return to administer these is essential, and is made possible by the plane.
Late afternoon the plane returned to collect the team and fly them back to Chimala.
Aviation multiplying ministry
In this remote, southern part of Tanzania, the mobile clinic is providing a vital and necessary ministry. The air link proves invaluable in the utilization of trained medical staff, of which there are still too few in remote medical outposts. It’s an example of how aviation multiplies the ministry of the church-owned hospital.