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Help us make healthcare more accessible

Please help MAF reach more isolated children in desperate need of healthcare.

When baby Rose was born, she had a hole in her tummy and her bowel had formed outside of her body. The condition ‘gastroschisis’ is treatable in the UK and most children grow up to live normal lives, but what hope is there in rural Tanzania when healthcare is so hard to come by?

When 20-year-old Victoria gave birth to Rose several weeks ago in an extremely remote village in northern Tanzania, she knew that something was seriously wrong.

Her baby needed urgent medical care, but Victoria was at least an eight-hour drive away from the nearest hospital.

MAF was the only way for Victoria and Amira to reach hospital (credit: Peter Griffin)

MAF was the only way for Victoria and Rose to reach hospital (credit: Peter Griffin)

Even if she did have access to affordable transport, the pothole-ridden dirt tracks had been reduced to thick mud due to the rainy season, which will last until January.

Parts of northern Tanzania are currently overwhelmed by floods and landslides making roads impassable and treacherous. According to Al Jazeera, more than 40 people are dead and over 80 have been injured.

Even if it wasn’t rainy season, driving over deep potholes with a newborn in such a fragile condition would risk Rose’s life.

MAF was the only way.

MAF – smooth, swift and safe

On 8 November, MAF medevacked Victoria and Rose to hospital from Haydom to Kilimanjaro in north-east Tanzania.

The 90-minute flight was smooth, swift and safe.

MAF pilot Peter Griffin ensures the journey is smooth, swift and safe (credit: Peter Griffin)

MAF pilot Peter Griffin ensures the journey is smooth, swift and safe (credit: Peter Griffin)

At Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi – where around 1,000 people per day seek medical help – Rose finally underwent surgery.

Victoria – a single-parent – waited alone as her daughter fought for her life.

Amira was treated at KCMC where around 1,000 people per day seek help (credit Elia Rubondo)

Amira was treated at KCMC where around 1,000 people per day seek help (credit: Elia Rubondo)

For many, healthcare is an unaffordable luxury

With no NHS in Tanzania, every day in hospital and every procedure must be paid for. For Victoria on a meagre income, the medical bill of 871,400 Tanzanian Shillings (approx. £280) was simply beyond her means.

Patients are not discharged from hospital until their bill is paid. On top of everything else, this has caused Victoria untold stress.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, Rose tragically died on 4 December causing Victoria unimaginable pain.

In a bid to save money, Victoria’s family urged her to bury her baby in Moshi, but Victoria was determined to bring Rose’s body home. MAF flew them back on 11 December.

Victoria steps off MAF plane in Haydom carrying Amira’s body (credit: Peter Griffin)

Victoria steps off MAF plane in Haydom carrying Rose’s body (credit: Peter Griffin)

Sadly, not every MAF medevac has a happy ending.

Fortunately for Ojiya, the outcome was very different.

Born with the same condition as Rose in South Sudan, MAF medevacked Ojiya to hospital in Kenya where she underwent surgery and survived.

Thanks to MAF, Ojiya is on the road to recovery.

Help us make healthcare more accessible

Please help MAF reach more isolated children in desperate need of healthcare.

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About MAF UK

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is the world’s largest humanitarian air operator. For over 75 years we have been flying light aircraft over jungles, mountains, swamps and deserts. We enable more than 1,400 aid, development and mission organisations to bring medical care, emergency relief and long-term development. Our pilots and personnel deliver relief workers, doctors, pastors, school books, food, medicines - everything that can only be safely and speedily delivered by air. Our faithful supporters give and pray to make this all possible.

© 2024 / MAF UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1064598) and Scotland (SC039107)