Murgwanza Hospital, Tanzania-Medical Scholarships, Medical Equipment
Tanzania, with its population of 54.7 million people (2018), is located in Africa. It borders the Indian Ocean to the east, and has land borders with eight countries: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
In 2018, about 26 million or 49% of the population lived below the $1.90 per person per day international poverty line (World Bank, 2020). It is ranked 154 on the UN’s Human Development Index out of 189 countries [United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2020].
Murgwanza Hospital is owned by The Anglican Church of Tanzania, Diocese of Kagera and is situated in the Ngara District with a population of just over 402,000 people. It started as a small dispensary in the 1930’s by CMS Missionaries and has grown to become a hospital with a 210 bed capacity.
Needs
The nearest hospital providing specialised services is 400 kms away from Murgwanza, which results in many people being unable to access lifesaving treatment. Murgwanza Hospital is seeking to increase the numbers and capabilities of all medical professions, with a goal to train more specialists to provide quality healthcare to the people of Ngara and surrounding districts, including people from neigbouring countries, Burundi and Rwanda. The trained specialists will need specific instruments and equipment to diagnose and treat patients effectively, and MMA hopes to contribute towards purchasing some of this equipment also.
Medical Mission has been supporting Murgwanza Hospital develop local capacity by giving scholarships to train nurses and doctors. Recently, MMA has contributed to the training of three specialist doctors to become a physician, a surgeon and a gynaecologist.
MMA also contributes funding towards medication and medical supplies and equipment.
