Soddo Christian Hospital

Soddo, a city of roughly 70,000 people, is 400km (250 miles) southwest of the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Soddo is located in the Wolaitta region, one of the most populated and impoverished areas in Ethiopia. The region is mountainous and at an elevation of 2,500 m (7,400 feet). A 3,500 m mountain is nearby and a Rift Valley Lake can be viewed from this site.

The climate at Soddo Christian Hospital is best described as beautiful and temperate. Temperature ranges from 60-65 F at night to 80 – 90 during the day. However, the humidity is generally low. The rainy season lasts from May to October, with a shorter rainy season from January to March.

Become familiar with Ethiopia’s culture, history and economy by reviewing the Wikipedia Ethiopia Profile. Rich resources for Ethiopia health information include the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation IHME Ethiopia Country Profile and the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory Cameroon Data.

Most people in this region live by subsistence farming. Their most common illnesses include TB, malaria, cancers, elephantiasis, pregnancy complications, vaginal fistulas, traumatic injuries, and physical deformities. HIV is not yet a common problem in this rural area of Southern Ethiopia.

English is spoken by the hospital staff and by most all educated Ethiopians. Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia and is spoken by many. Woliatta is the local language of Soddo. A large number of indigenous languages are also spoken in the region. Translation is routine at Soddo Christian Hospital, and translators are readily available.

Soddo Christian Hospital was opened in January 2005 as a nonprofit facility established by St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation of Winfield, Illinois, in association with SIM (Society for International Ministries). It is a self-supporting, fee-for-service private institution. The facility includes 4 operating rooms and 120 beds in five wards: two surgical, one maternity, one medicine and pediatrics, and one orthopedic. Outpatient, opthalmology and emergency care services are also provided.

Duane Anderson, MD, is the Program Director. Dr. Anderson is a 1979 graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, and residency trained/board certified in orthopedics at the University of Minnesota.

Ruth Droppers, MD, is an internal medicine specialist from Netherlands who directs the outpatient and rural clinic services.

Harry Bowers, OD, is an optometrist leading the new Eye Care Center and training national staff in vital ophthalmologic skills.

Paul Gray, MD, is a surgeon and leader in the Soddo Christian Hospital general surgery residency program associated with the Pan-African College of Christian Surgeons (PAACS).

Becca Gray, RD, is a registered dietician and active in patient management.

Sharon Morad, MD, is an English trained obstetrician/gynecologist whose focus is increasing maternal and prenatal care in the Woliatta region through training midwifes and increasing care to villages.

The hospital is also staffed by two Ethiopian general surgeons and 4 Ethiopian general practice physicians. The hospital also frequently hosts visiting specialists in anesthesiology, general surgery, nursing, urology, geriatric medicine, laboratory science, biomedical engineering, dentistry, and computer science.

No description of the Soddo Christian Hospital staff is complete without including the esteemed American surgeon, Harold Paul Adolph, who began serving in Ethiopia in 1966. In addition to leading the hospital in its formative years, Dr. Adolph is a founder of the influential PAACS, an outstanding program preparing African surgeons to serve their own people.

INMED invites all participants to consider raising extra funds to financially support this facility. While such efforts are not required, they provide opportunity for INMED personnel to become involved in this important aspect of international healthcare.

Internet access is available. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own laptop computers.

Soddo