Usually our colleagues in Tanzania suggest a project to Maasai Health Systems that is fairly expensive. It takes a year typically to raise the funds for such a project. Early in 2020, the requested project was a list of smaller items that we would purchase as our bank balance would allow that. We were able to buy all those items this year. The list is below.
- EKG machine. Selian Hospital has very little in the way of cardiology equipment. When their EKG machine broke down, our ability to evaluate chest pain, for example, was extremely limited. Coronary Artery Disease used to be vanishingly rare in Tanzania. With the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure, there is probably undiagnosed heart disease. An EKG is the first step in diagnosis.
- Autoclave to sterilize dental equipment. This is also a replacement for aging equipment. Sterile dental equipment is a necessity.
- Microbiology Lab. When I worked at Selian, we had no microbiology department in the lab. Therefore, we were unable to identify exactly which bacterium was causing an infection. We had to use multiple antibiotics to cover the most likely possibilities. This resulted in using more antibiotics than would be necessary if we knew what the bacterium was. The lab now has a sterilizer to sterilize their tools and an incubator for growing the bacteria. This is a very important upgrade for the lab.
- New Neonatal ICU (NICU) equipment. Selian Hospital is now the second hospital in their region to have a NICU. The most common problem for a newborn baby admitted to the NICU is premature birth. Prematurity is the most common cause of death on a global basis in children under the age of five. We bought 3 critical pieces of equipment to increase the capacity of the new NICU. The first is an incubator. This provides a warm, safe environment for a sick baby. The second is a CPAP machine that supports lung function until a premature baby’s lungs are mature enough. Sometimes, delivery of extra oxygen through oxygen tubing enough support. The CPAP machine adds in pressure support for the sickest of babies. The third item is a bilirubin lamp to treat jaundiced babies. The light of the lamp helps clear the jaundice faster.