Provide an X-ray machine

Do you want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money in aid of Institute of Charity (Rosminians) Company Limited By Guarantee and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me. On a recent visit to Tanga, Tanzania, August 2023, I became quite ill. I got a diagnosis of walking pneumonia and treatment at the Diocese of Tanga Tumaini Health Centre for which I am so grateful. Sr. Flora the Administrator of the Health Center explained to me the pressing problem the Health Center has of paying for a rental X-ray machine. They are in debt to the tune of €110,000 with a threat from the company to close down the X-ray machine by the end of the month unless a substantial payment was made. Sr. Flora and the clinic never turn a patient away and many treated there are the poorest of the poor who cannot contribute anything. Sr. Flora has no other source of income and is completely dependent on the goodwill of donors like you and me. Please contribute to this appeal for help. Know that you are helping the poorest of the poor and every euro you contribute will go directly to Sr. Flora at the Tumaini Health Centre. Thank you.

Catholic Diocese of Tanga

Tumaini Health Centre

Tumaini Health Centre is a nonprofit Health Facility of the Catholic Diocese of Tanga, which was established in 1993 in response to a great need of medical services in Tanga City Council. The administration of the health centre has been entrusted to some of the sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Usambara (COLU) who is accountable to the Diocese.

The centre provides medical services to the community in Tanga City. The Centre’s health is open to especially marginalized people. Some of our patients include survivors of gender based violence, itinerant Masai communities, and people suffering from pandemic and epidemic diseases. The centre serves at least 100 to 120 patients a day among which 85 to 130 are admitted monthly. Female, male and childrens wards contain a total of 40 hospital beds. We are saving the lives of many people who would have been dead by common diseases, such as malaria, blood sugar, blood pressure (BP) respiratory infections, Tuberculosis, HIV AIDS, as well as COVID-19, and accidents. There are an increasing number of rape cases, domestic violence and many others.

Services Provided

Tumaini Health Centre provides services through 9 departments:

1.) Outpatients department (OPD)

2.) In patients department (IPD)

3.) Laboratory services

4.) Refproductive Child Health (RCH) for Mother and Child

5.) Surgical Department

6.) Radiology Department

7.) Counselling and treatment Clinic (CTC) for HIV infections

8.) Tuberculosis clinic

9.) Dental services

Challenge

Our main challenge is maintaining our rented X-Ray machine in our hospital. Tumaini health centre is in the town where many vehicle and motorbike accidents occur daily, as well as sports injuries. Also respiratory diseases and infections like Tuberculosis, and bone infections are difficult to detect or to diagnose and treat correctly without an X-Ray machine. Tumaini health centre provides health services for poor people who cannot contribute a single cent for their medical services. Due to economic problems, relatives come with their patients and leave them in hospital with no food and other basic needs because they are afraid of payment so they leave. Most pregnant mothers from the villages surrounding Tanga Town where Tumaini Health Centre is situated don’t even have clothes for covering their newborn after delivery. We cut bed sheets in pieces to cover the babies. The relatives of these mothers just leave them in the wards with no basic supplies like food, maternity pads, soap etc. We sisters are supposed to take care of these mothers by sharing our food with them, and other basic needs that we can afford. Not only do pregnant and lactating mothers stay alone in wards with no relatives but also other patients. Because of this big financial constraint it is very difficult to afford the rental of an X-Ray machine.

Main Objective

To solve the current problem of the X-Ray machine rental costs

Specific Objective

To purchase an X-Ray machine

To ask for the support of funds and good will of people so that we can purchase this vital machine.

The cost of this machine is about €120,000