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.

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:

1. Major operating theatre
2. Minor theatre
3. Ultrasound Unit
4. Dental surgery unit
5. Pharmacy
6. 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.