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Volunteer Description:
Volunteers may stay in 1 Government hospital or may rotate through various clinics throughout the country. Volunteers must spend a minimum of 1 week in any one clinic but can transfer from clinic to clinic. Third and forth year dental and medical students can do clinical work under the supervision of a dentist or physician. Teams are encouraged to apply.
1) Sumbawanga Regional Hospital
Sumbawanga is a rural, semi-isolated town. The journey takes at least 2 days from Dar Es Salaam. This consists of a 12-14 hour bus journey from Dar to Mbeya, followed by a 6-8 hour dirt track bus journey to Sumbawanga the following day. Government vehicles will take volunteers staying locally to and from the hospital each day.
Sumbawanga District Hospital is fairly large. It contains nine wards, a laboratory, a small operating room, a dentistry clinic, x-ray and ultrasound machines, and a busy CTC (Care and Treatment Center) for people with HIV or AIDS. A large operating complex with three theatres should be completed by the end of August 2009. They are also in the process of building a large maternity complex, but progress has been at a stand-still for months (as of March 2009).
The hospital lacks fully-trained medical professionals and is always in need of help. Approximately 250 patients are seen there per day.
Current staff and facilities:
- 1 dentist
- 2 dental hygienists
- 4 physicians (manage the hospital/rarely treat patients)
- 16 medical assistants
- There is a sterilisation unit and wet lab available
Hotels in Sumbawanga
Forest Way Country Club is very nice but relatively expensive (about 30,000 TSH per night, breakfast included). It has a nice restaurant and bar. The phone number is +255 25 280‑2800.
The Moravian Conference Centre (+255 25 280-2853) is also nice, but has smaller rooms. The restaurant has a shorter menu and there is no bar. A single costs 14,000 TSH, but if you are staying for a long period, the price is negotiable.
There are other hotels within Sumbawanga, but these hotels have received volunteers before and are known to be relatively safe.
2) Mpanda District Hospital
Mpanda is a small, rural, isolated town. The majority of people living in Mpanda are subsistence farmers who earn less than a dollar a day. Mpanda is located a 6 hour dirt track bus ride from Sumbawanga into the Rift Valley. This makes the minimum journey time from Dar Es Salaam 3 days.
Mpanda District Hospital is within one of the largest and most rural districts in Tanzania. It serves a population of nearly 600,000 people, including 50,000 refugees held in specially built villages around 1-2 hours drive from the Town. The hospital has 120 bed (which increases to 150 beds when needed). The hospital sees around 50-60 patients a day, with 100-150 inpatients at any one time.
The hospital consists of an out patients department, CTC (HIV and TB/Leprosy clinic), female and male medical wards, female and male surgical wards, paediatric ward, maternity ward and operating theatres (2 major and 1 minor).
Current staff:
There is a full examination chair in the dentist clinic, but it is still mainly extractions that are being performed due to a lack of supplies available. Volunteer dentists should bring composites, burs, gowns, and restorative materials.
Hotels in Mpanda
1) Catholic Mission
There is a large Catholic church adjacent to Mpanda District Hospital. Four friendly priests live next to the church. They allow guests to stay in their spare rooms and eat with them for approximately , 6,000 TSH per day. The accommodations are very basic, but there is indoor plumbing. You should call the doctors at the Mpanda hospital before you arrive and talk to them about accommodations. They will let the priests know that you are coming.
2) Super City Hotel
This is located quite far from the hospital. It is a good option if accommodation is not available in the Mission as it is safe. It costs 12,000TSH per night.
3) Moshi District Hospital (Mawenzi)
Moshi is a large town located at the foot of Kilimanjaro, 30 minutes drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport. On the Dar-Arusha Highway it is the perfect location to start both Kilimanjaro climbs and Safaris to the Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater.
You can fly directly into Kilimanjaro International Airport with KLM, Ethiopian Airways and Kenyan Airways or fly into Dar Es Salaam. From Dar you can either fly to Kilimanjaro for $150 or you can get a 6-8 hour bus for $20.
Moshi District Hospital (Mawenzi) is a public hospital located within the city center. It lacks adequate funds and personnel. About 700 to 800 patients are seen per day. The hospital includes:
Current staff are:
There are many hotels in Moshi town:
4) Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC)
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), is located outside the city centre on a nice, quiet road. A taxi ride to KCMC costs about 3,500 TSH.
It is private and has many Western ties. KCMC is one of Tanzanian’s best hospitals.
Volunteers there are required to make a six-month commitment.