Letter from the Sisters, or what the last year brought for Katondwe

Katondwe Mission Hospital (Zambia), 28.01.2022

Dear All!

Time flies just as fast as it always does... Last year was intense and challenging for us, but was also full of lots of good, partially thanks to your support. We would like to share this short summary with you.

Our mission station in Katondwe (Luangwa, Zambia) has been changing continuously in recent months. A great change has been brought as we got connected to the national power system. For the first time, true electricity came to our village! We still have to combine various power systems, such as solar panels and the power generator, but the main power line is the core now. As it’s typical in Africa, it works with certain interruptions, but we are ready for that. Thanks to that, we can use a greater number of devices and broaden our range of medical examinations, which is great. In some essential places (such as the pharmacy, the operating theatre, the lab) we have managed to have air conditioning installed. With temperatures exceeding 40°C in the shade, it’s a huge relief. It is also easier for us to store food. Of course, the more you have, the more you want, and many employees now want to have a cooling system in other places in the hospital, but sadly our financial situation won’t allow it.

We can manage transport, although repairs and spare part replacements are a different story... Most of our business and supplies are still handled in Lusaka, some 300 km away. For a few years, there’s been an asphalt road, but most of it is badly damaged, which forces us to drive around the holes. It has a highly detrimental effect on the cars. All the more so, if we consider the fact that we had to bring wood from the wild forest to be able light fire under the boilers.

We spent the money received from MIVA Polska to buy wheelchairs. We distribute them to those in need in the entire district! Many people with disabilities will be able to get around thanks to them. Their gratitude for the benefactors is endless.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not been receiving packages from Poland for nearly 2 years now, which is a huge problem for us, and the solution is nowhere to be seen. It’s getting harder to meet the increasing needs and ensure that everyone is cared for.

Additionally, we are facing water supply problems. Gravity pumps at our main water spring, the so called dam, are broken. We are searching for many sources of financial support, but the few requests we have submitted so far don’t look too hopeful. We are forced to rely solely on deep wells, but they fail to meet our needs.

The COVID-19 situation has been more dramatic this year. We recorded many more cases and hospitalisations. Unfortunately, due to the lack of medicinal oxygen supply, we weren’t able to help everyone. Not to mention the lack of ventilators. Zambia began vaccinations in April 2021, but very few people were interested at first. Currently, however, the lack of clean water and serious diarrhoeas are a bigger problem for the patients. HIV still exists, but most of infected patients are on antivirals. Thanks to that we don’t see that many extremely serious AIDS cases. We are still short on sanitizers, soap and wound dressings. Patients need to have their protracted wounds dressed in our hospital, because local health centres don’t have all the needed materials.

Our hospital provides three meals a day for the patients. We mostly use the so called mealie-meals, which are corn flour with oil, sugar and salt. For our patients we also have hens, ducks and a hospital garden – thanks to that, we can make their meals diversified. We have to buy milk powder in Lusaka.

Patients from Mozambique and Zimbabwe are still coming to us. The situation in these countries has not improved, and local people have nowhere to go for medical care. So, they cross the river and visit us – usually with very neglected ailments, or for a childbirth.

Throughout the years, the number of personnel has been increasing, but it’s still nowhere near enough. The main concern is the lack of housing infrastructure. Around the hospital, other than the houses built by us, there are only villages with cottages covered with thatch, with no access to water or electricity. It’s a huge inconvenience for the workers.

Medically, we suffer from the lack of radiological unit with a stationary X-ray machine. Our mobile RTG is already very worn out and doesn’t work properly. For a few years, we’ve been trying to obtain it, but that’s a huge expense... Maybe it will finally come true?