Projects

Training

Vision

There are many mission hospitals and health clinics in this part of Africa (see the overview of CMML medical work in Africa) that are in the midst of a staffing crisis. There are two main reasons for this.

Problems recruiting African staff: In Zambia many of the medical graduates in the last twenty years have left the country, with many moving to South Africa or the United Kingdom. Many registered nurses have also left the country.

Problems recruiting expatriate staff: This is due to the changes in medical training. Whereas 25 years ago medical training equipped doctors with the broad practical skills, (eg: general medicine, obstetrics, and some basic anaesthetic and surgical skills), necessary to work in an African hospital. Now medical training is more theoretical, and practical skills are usually gained in an area of specialist training.

Because of this it was felt there was a need for a training hospital in central Africa, to enable doctors and nurses, (from either African or Western countries) to receive the practical training required to equip them for work in a rural African hospital. Echoes of Service recommended Kalene for redevelopment as a training hospital. By helping to train staff for the other medical facilities in the broader area, it is hoped that the redevelopment of Kalene Hospital will benefit all.

Nursing School

The nursing school has reopened in 2008. This provides a two year training program for qualification as a ZEN (Zambian Enrolled Nurse).

Medical Electives

Zambian medical students are encouraged to apply. Some knowledge of Lunda is helpful. (Most patients speak only Lunda.)
Medical students from countries outside Zambia are also welcome to apply. It usually takes a month to adjust, so we recommend that an elective here should be for a minimum of six weeks (preferably longer.

Practical apprenticeship for qualified staff

Practical training of qualified medical, clinical officer and nursing staff is based on an apprenticeship model. Staff coming for training (either from Zambia, DRC, Angola or a western country) will come with a specific set of practical skills that they need to learn. They would have the opportunity to learn these skills in a supportive environment and with appropriate supervision. When competency was achieved, they will then be encouraged to move to the hospital or clinic they were planning to work in. The training will be flexible. In 2009 we completed a one year internship for Dr. George Kishimba from the DRC and six months of surgical training for Dr. Justin Beardsley from New Zealand.

Hospital Renovation Projects

Current Renovation Projects

We have been involved in a series of new building projects in 2010 and 2011

The major building project has been the new theatre block, high dependency unit and the hospital chapel. This project is a major development for the hospital. It will provide us with a more sterile theatre environment and will give us a facility to look after sick patients better.
The main needs that motivated this were:

1. The currently theatre not being sterile enough for doing any invasive orthopaedic work (plates, rods) or for VP shunt surgery
2. Only having one theatre. On a number of occasions we have had a patient requiring an emergency caesarean section when a difficult operation has been in progress. This had meant that we have had to use/modify an existing area of the hospital (which is not designed for theatre work) so that emergency surgery can occasionally be performed there
3. The wards provide a good environment for looking after most patients. However when a patients is very sick there has been no high dependency area to use. Often very sick patients are nursed in the nursing station for the ward. We wanted to improve our ability to look after these sick patients by having a facility for the sickest patients in the hospital. Improving the quality of care will also require an educational program for our nursing sta.

The project was then made possible by a donation of UK Pounds 50,000 by Biet Trust, for the purpose of building a theatre block. This has been supplemented by donations from mission organisations overseas, and by individuals. We are very grateful for all the donations received.

The initial part of the building project was helped by a Brass Tacks Team. They were involved in supervising the laying of the foundations and the beginning of the brick work. Our thanks again go to Colin Breeze, Jim Smith and Paul Dodds. Photos showing the laying of the foundation and a birds eye view of the project are attached….

Our second project has been an extenstion to the HIV clinic. We had some funding from CHAZ (Churches Health Association of Zambia) put aside for this purpose. As the number of HIV patients continue to grow, there will be a need to see more patients at the clinic. The extra clinical room, storage facility and the attached toilets (which will also provide a better facility for pregnant mothers who have come to wait at the hospital to deliver) will help with the running of the clinic. A team from Byndwr Assembly, Christhchurh, New Zealand came in December and were able to complete the walls and roofing in three weeks! Further internal work is ongoing.

The third project has been ongoing renovation of some of the hospital staff accommodation. The shortage of accommodation means that we are currently at capacity (unable to take any more qualified staff). We are grateful to Bethany Hipple for funding which will help to start building a further house for qualified staff in 2011.

Past Renovation Projects

The major renovation projects in the first six months of 2009 have been building a second hostel for the nursing school and four tutor houses. This project has been made possible by funding from the Zambian government, and is using local labour, under the supervision of Kasongu Muke. We are also completing two new houses for qualified hospital staff. This was made possible by funding from the Beit Trust. A major rewiring of the hospital, funded by Brass Tacks was commenced in 2008, and will be completed this year. We are very grateful to the groups that have made these renovations possible.

Brass Tacks, a UK based building and maintenance group commenced a major renovation of the hospital in June 2006. The first phase included the replacement of the toilet blocks, extensions to the plumbing and drainage system, roof repair and painting. The second phase, in 2007, included a new toilet block for the delivery ward, completion of work in the children's ward, and a new hospital incinerator. In 2008 the rewiring of the hospital commenced.
Medical Missionary News have sent containers of medicines and building materials to Kalene and help with purchasing medical equipment.

Resources:
Pictures (1.2MB PDF) of the early renovation progress.
Workshop Story (2.1MB PDF) for the story in pictures of how Kalene got a new workshop.

Electrical Power Generation and Distribution

In 1964 the potential for power generation was identified at the point where the Zambezi rapids start, just a few kilometres away from Kalene Hospital. Following the establishment of a Trust Board, and a significant fund raising project, work on the hydroelectric scheme began in March 2004. This has been a community project, using local labour and materials as much as is possible. The objective has been to promote the development of the surrounding area. When the hydroelectric project is running at full capacity, 750kVA of electricity will be generated. Since June 2007 the hospital has had reliable 24 hour electricity.  Lines have now been distributed to Nyakaseya, Ikelenge,  Sakeji School and to Hillwood farm. Further work on the distribution system is planned for 2011.

Resources:
Pictures of the development (3.6MB, PDF).
Some photos were included in this blog.