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Kitua Zahanati, Bumbire Island, Tanzania
Summary
Located on an island in beautiful Lake Victoria, the Kitua Zahanati Clinic provides the only medical care for its 10,000 inhabitants. The setting is rural and tropical, and citizens scratch out a living by farming and fishing. Children coming for care commonly suffer from schistosomiasis, malaria, intestinal parasites, and wound infections. Gonorrhea, syphilis, and pregnancy-related complications are also frequently treated.
English is the language of health care in Tanzania, and translation to Swahili is readily available. Supervision at Kitua Zahanati Clinic is provided by Robert Matthews, MD, a graduate of the Universities of Texas and Liverpool. Students and residents participate in the full range of services, learning to provide medical care in the reality of Africa's limited resources.
Location & CommunityThis island on Lake Victoria is situated in eastern Africa, with Uganda to the north and Kenya to the northwest. The island is 5 x 10 miles in size, with a population of about 10,000. From the clinic, Lake Victoria is clearly visible. The landscape is dotted with small villages, little farms, and fishing sites. The location is geographically beautiful, with tropical weather, frequent rain, and rich vegetation.
There are no roads and no vehicles - just footpaths. The island boasts no stores, no electricity, and no running water. Tanzanians, though they have so few possessions, are generally happy and content. Prominent religions are Islam, animistic and Christianity. They work from dawn to dusk just to survive, and yet without complaining. Their main food items are produced using flour made from cassava plant. Night fishing is also popular, using lanterns and nuts.
TransportationVisitors fly into the northern city of Mwanza, Tanzania, where a representative of the Clinic will meet them. Travel is then by road to a port for transport to the island by ferry or float plane.
Visa RequirementFor current information, please visit the Embassy website appropriate for your country. The website for the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, DC is http://www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org. American's should request a "tourist visa" and can purchase this on arrival in Tanzania for a fee.
Traveler's Health & SafetyPlease check the CDC travel website for the most up-to-date health information: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx, and consult with your physician before traveling. All routine vaccinations, including hepatitis A and B, should be current. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended.
Visitors are advised to regularly check the U.S. State Department website for the most up-to-date information regarding country specific travel information and travel advisories: http://www.state.gov/travel/.
PatientsMany of the people on Bumbire Island are exposed to water while either working, bathing, or washing. As a result, the parasitic infection schistosomiasis, or "bilharzia," is common, as are malaria, intestinal parasites, gonorrhea, syphilis, wound infections, and pregnancy-related complications. Most of the patients are children with acute illnesses.
LanguagesMost patients speak Swahili, and translation is readily available. English is commonly spoken in the capital on Tanzania, and all medical records are documented in English. Both Dr. Matthews and his wife speak Swahili.
FacilitiesKitua Zahanati Clinic is a project of the Africa Inland Church. In addition to the general outpatient clinic, services also include obstetrical deliveries, minor surgeries, and a community health program. Some seriously ill patients are cared for, and occasionally kept over night for monitoring, wound care, and IV therapy. A limited laboratory provides HIV testing, malaria smears, and basic blood analysis.
Health Profession StaffRobert Matthews graduated in 1983 from medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. He completed a family medicine residency at the University of Texas Dallas Health Sciences Center/John Peter Smith Hospital, and received a diploma in tropical medicine from the University of Liverpool in 2008. American and Tanzanian nurses assist him.
Student ExperienceStudents and residents participate in the full range of services provided at Kitua Zahanati Clinic, including the outpatient clinic, deliveries, "house calls," and mobile clinics to other islands by boat. They will learn to provide medical care in the reality of Africa, with very little resources and very few referral opportunities.
Student Blogs Student Lodging & MealsVisitors are housed with the Matthews family or in a nearby smaller house, both newly built and within a 5-minute walk to the clinic. They have indoor plumbing, kerosene refrigerator, natural gas stove, tanks for storing rainwater, and electricity from solar panels or a generator for power. The houses enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Victoria. Meals are taken with the Matthews or can be prepared in the little kitchen at the other house. Little food is available for purchase on the island. The Matthews usually go shopping once a month to buy groceries in the cities of Mwanza or Bukoba.
Outside CommunicationBoth Internet access and mobile phone communication are available on the island.
DiversionEvenings and Sundays are unscheduled. The famed Serengeti National Park is nearby, as is the Rubondo Island National Park.
Facility SupportINMED invites all participants to consider raising extra funds to donate to support the facility. This is not required but allows INMED participants to become involved in every aspect of medical missions.
Behavior & DressMen wear trousers and no tie. Short pants are never appropriate except for swimming. Women wear dresses to below the knee, preferably closer to the ankle. Shoulders should be covered, with no low-cut blouses. Pants and short are best not to wear on the island but are more acceptable in the city.
What To PackVisitors should bring along rain gear, a coat or sweater, mosquito repellent, snacks, water bottle, flashlight, batteries, and hand cleanser.