Every day, we admit new patients to the Katondwe Mission Hospital. They arrive from the neighbourhood as well as from furthest corners of Zambia. They come to find relief in their pain and alleviate their conditions.

The most common diseases are sickle cell anaemia, tropical splenic enlargement, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. There are also many cases of cancer, heart disease or kidney disease. Many patients are malnourished.

We regularly deliver babies and perform caesarean sections.

At the Katondwe Mission Hospital, we admit more and more patients each day, coming from different areas of Zambia.

There are many patients with sickle cell anaemia and so-called tropical splenic enlargement in our area. We also have patients with malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and malnutrition. Additionally, we see many cases of hypertension, asthma, diabetes, cancer, kidney and heart disease – these are patients who are particularly vulnerable to the severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

We may administer oxygen only by using oxygen concentrators. We have problems getting the blood for our hospital. There is a long wait for the ordered blood, available only in limited amounts.

This year, the Easter wishes of good health are especially meaningful. We wish you physical health, in particular in the light of the new danger of the virus, but also spiritual health, which is equally important. Here, in our hospital, we are aware of it. While schools, kindergartens and churches have been closed, we also try to provide spiritual support to our patients and the personnel.

The year started well for us.

We bought a new truck. Travels to Lusaka, shopping and transporting essentials for the Katondwe Mission Hospital will no longer be such a problem for us.

Our nearest city, Lusaka is approximately 300 km from us. We go there once a month. We collect mail, and buy food, medicines and fuel for the generator, but first of all, we replenish the blood supply from the blood bank.