4-week Program Non-Professional Medical Volunteers
Art in Tanzania Non-professional Medical Program allows the participant to help in various medical and health and HIV/AIDS tasks in the community. The program is planned to deliver a meaningful effort as well as to get the participant basic knowledge and experience of medical oriented work in a developing country. Note that the below schedule and themes may change according to the task in hands in Tanzania at the time of your participation.
Week | Day | Activity | Notes |
1 | Monday | Spoken Orientation | A Team Leader will discuss with you the day--‐to--‐day running of the AIT house and what will be expected of you during your stay. This is also an opportunity for you to discuss any queries/questions. |
Tuesday | Walking/Project Orientation | A Team Leader will show you around the local area and where your projects will be. This is also an opportunity for you to discuss any queries relating to the work you will be completing during your stay. | |
Wednesday | Introduction to HIV seminars/awareness |
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Thursday | Introduction to basic health care awareness in schools |
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Friday | Introduction to a local hospital/clinic |
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Saturday | Weekend | ||
Sunday | Weekend | ||
2 | Monday | Basic hygiene at school | To attend a local school of your choice to deliver a basic health care session (could include teeth cleaning, exercise, nutrition,etc.). However, you will need to bear in mind other factors such as low budget, availibility etc. experienced by local families. |
Tuesday | Basic hygiene at school | To attend a local school of your choice to deliver a basic health care session (could include teeth cleaning, exercise, nutrition,etc.). However, you will need to bear in mind other factors such as low budget, availibility etc. experienced by local families. | |
Wednesday | Planning for HIV seminar / sports |
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Thursday | HIV Seminar | To deliver basic information about HIV (what it is, testing, healthy lifestyle). This can be delivered in schools or local communities. You can also consider bringing a Doctor to undertake mobile testing however this will carry a cost (usually 80,000TSH) which will need to be provided by fundraising/ donations. You can also expand this seminar to include basic sexual health awareness (condoms, contraception, ways of keeping safe etc) however, if delivering any of this in a school, prior agreement with the school and parents will be required. | |
Friday | Assisting at a local hospital | While there are limited opportunities for unqualified volunteers to undertake medical duties at the hospitals, assistance is always needed in other areas to aid the staff. This will still provide a good overall experience of the workings of a Tanzanian hospital. | |
Saturday | Weekend | ||
Sunday | Weekend | ||
3 | Monday | Basic hygiene at school | By now, you will have a better understanding of what is required in the schools and how best to deliver it. We also work with UNICEF and the Children’s agenda. It may be possible to see what initiatives they have and include these in your sessions. |
Tuesday | Basic hygiene at school | As above | |
Wednesday | Planning for HIV seminar / sports |
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Thursday | HIV Seminar | Same as last week | |
Friday | Assisting at a local hospital | Same as last week | |
Saturday | Weekend | ||
Sunday | Weekend | ||
4 | Monday | Basic hygiene at school | |
Tuesday | Basic hygiene at school | ||
Wednesday | Planning for future sessions / sports | ||
Thursday | HIV Seminar | ||
Friday | Assisting at a local hospital | ||
Saturday | Weekend | ||
Sunday | Weekend |
While we can try to plan as much as possible, we encourage volunteers to be flexible. Here in Tanzania, things do not always go to plan! We also promote volunteers to be as imaginative and innovative as possible when completing their projects. If you see a need or an area for development, speak to a Team Leader about ways to develop it!
Mawenzi Hospital
Project Summary
Mawenzi Hospital is a government hospital located in town. It is open 24/7, and the hospital owns an ambulance. Mawenzi hospital receives about 250-350 inpatients and 800 outpatients each day. Only a fraction of these patients can afford to contribute to their medication fee. The hospital has 2 major operation theatres, one minor theatre, an ultrasound room, five examination rooms, one pharmacy, one labour ward, one dressing room, one laboratory. Mawenzi hospital offers general outpatient and patient services, major and minor surgeries, obstetric services, psychiatric services, HIV/AIDS treatment services, HIV/AIDS counseling and testing services, dental surgery and reproductive health services.
Activities
Only medical students or professional nurses or doctors can attend this project. Students will be expected to help weighing babies, taking basic vitals (height, weight…), to record immunization, to assist in keeping the ward clean (making beds, organizing supplies, sweeping the floors…), to prepare work material (slides, cotton wool for sterilization…), to help issuing outpatients cars, and to assist in the pharmacy. Students who are in their last year will be expected to observe individual treatment and delivery, to go to the operating room, to assist in giving injections and to draw blood from patients. Mawenzi Hospital is mainly looking for surgeons (general, pediatric, E.N.T), for nurse officers, for midwives, for theatre nurses, for dental assistants, for occupational therapists and for hospital administrators. Art in Tanzania has also been recently sending physiotherapists to Mawenzi hospital.
Schedule
You will be expected to volunteer the whole day, from about 8am to 2-3pm. The hospital is open on a 24 hours basis for inpatients, while outpatients can come from 7.30am to 5pm.
Getting There
Mawenzi Hospital is located in the town centre. It takes about 20-25 minutes to walk there from the volunteer house.
Number of Volunteers
Typically 1-4 volunteers are placed at this hospital.
Resources & Additional Needs
The hospital has resources and materials but it would be appreciated if volunteers can bring resources like hand sanitizer, latex gloves, Stethoscopes, Thermometers, alcohol wipes, bandaids, gauze, medical tapes, reference books (specific to tropical/East African related diseases), medicines and any other supplies related to hospitals. As you will be working as a medical professional you will need to wear a typical hospital uniform (white coat). You can either bring your uniform from home or get one tailored here in Moshi (cost: 30,000 tsh). You will need to wear conservative clothes covering shoulders and knees. Class C permit and a 50$ fee (for each month spent volunteering) are required. Both will be included in your program fee.
St. Joseph Hospital
Project summary
The hospital is owned and operated by sisters of Kilimanjaro region (CNDK), a local congregation under catholic Diocese of Moshi. St Joseph hospital started in 2004, so from there the hospital raised to fully medical operations. By 2009 the hospital signed the agreement on providing services as a council designated hospital. This means the government was responsible to contribute on hospital workers salaries The hospital provides medical services 24 hours a day excluding weekends and holidays. The hospital receives 150 in patients and 200-220 out patients per day. Only 25% of these patients can afford to pay for medication fees.
The hospital has the following facilities:
- Major operating theatre
- Minor theatre
- Ultrasound Unit
- Dental surgery unit
- Pharmacy
- Laboratory services
Daily operations include major and minor surgeries( general surgery, orthopedics, Gynecology, obstetric services HIV AIDS care and treatment services, HIV voluntary counseling and testing services , reproductive health services Personnel include 4 medical doctors, 2 specialized doctors, 5 assistant medical officers, 7 clinical officers,, 3 pharmacists, 14 assistant nurse officers, 33 midwife, 2 radiographer, 2 physiotherapists, 1 health secretary. Main departments: Physician, pediatricians, genealogists and maternity.
Activities: I Interns that are not currently medical professionals can expect to participate in the following activities: • Weigh babies, take basic vitals (height, weight, temperature, etc) and record the necessary info • Keep immunization record • Assist in keeping general cleanliness in the ward (making beds, sweeping floors, organizing supplies, etc) • Prepare working materials (slides, cotton wool for sterilization, wash the laboratory equipment etc) • Help issue outpatient cards • Assist in pharmacy
Interns who are medical professionals, residents or medical students in last year of medical school can participate in the following activities: • Observe individual treatment • Observe delivery • Go to the operating room • Learn to give injections and assist in giving injections • Draw blood from patients
Working Hours
The hospital is open on a 24 hour basis especially for inpatients. Outpatients are attended from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Resources
Volunteers can bring resources like hand sanitizer, latex gloves, Stethoscopes, Thermometers, alcohol wipes, band-aids, gauze, medical tapes, reference books (specific to tropical/East African related diseases), medicines and any other supplies related to hospitals.
Special points
Volunteers at this project need to be medical professional and their like and/or student in the field. So volunteers are placed depending with their medical professional fields.
Need of Volunteers
Any volunteer of the medical field is accepted. However, the hospital has an acute need of: i) Surgeons (General, Pediatric, E.N.T) ii) Nurse Officers iii) Nurse mid wives iv) Theatre nurses v) Dental assistants vi) Physiotherapists, vii) Occupational therapists and any other category of medical professionals and their likes.
Dress code
You will need to wear a typical hospital uniform (white coat, scrubs) which you can get tailored here in Tanzania (cost about 30,000 TSH). Short dress not advised.
Other
Medical Facilitation Moshi Municipality is in great need of medical personnel
Getting there
The hospital is found in Soweto Area within Moshi municipality it is 15 minutes walking from the volunteer house
HIV/Aids Programs
Project Summary
Art in Tanzania is the Moshi Municipality in various HIV & AIDS programs. As these programs are varying during the year you need to consult with our program officer in Moshi concerning the present tasks. Also we can tailor your initiatives in the program.
Activities
You participate different types of HIV & AIDS occasions, seminars, testing, educational, counselling and similar tasks. The nature of the program is tailored approach.
Schedule
This is an on-going program and you can participate at any time. It is also a program you can have as add on task along education and other placements.
Getting There
Program takes place around Moshi Municipality. Walking distance or local bus.
Number of Volunteers
No limitation.
Resources & Additional Needs
No special requirement but basic educational skills as well as knowledge of HIV & AIDS necessary. Non-professionals assist the professional participants or will be guided by the team.