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Karanda Mission Hospital

Zimbabwe

Overview

Life for rural people in Zimbabwe is often characterized by a close connection to the land, as most rural households rely on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Families typically cultivate crops such as maize, millet, and sorghum while raising livestock like cattle, goats, and chickens. Many rural areas lack access to reliable infrastructure, including electricity, clean water, and modern healthcare, making self-reliance and community support essential. Traditional customs and practices remain integral to social life, with extended family networks playing a vital role in providing support and guidance. Despite many challenges, rural communities often display resilience, resourcefulness, and a strong sense of cultural identity.

Karanda Mission Hospital was established in 1961 to meet the needs of clinics that were developed alongside churches and schools, working in association with the Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe. The hospital has approximately 150 beds, and on an average workday 10-20 surgeries are performed, and 200-300 outpatients are seen. The facility is known for the large number of surgical cases it handles, as well as treating HIV/AIDS, TB, obstetrics, and hydrocephalus.  The patient population is drawn from the entire country as people seek affordable, reliable, compassionate healthcare. The Karanda Mission Hospital motto is “Serving God, Serving Others.”

Location

Karanda is in a remote area of Northern Zimbabwe, southern Africa, nearest to Mount Darwin. Its location is approximately 124 miles from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Life for rural people in Zimbabwe is often characterized by a close connection to the land, as most rural households rely on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Families typically cultivate crops such as maize, millet, and sorghum while raising livestock like cattle, goats, and chickens. Daily life is shaped by the rhythm of agricultural seasons, with planting, tending, and harvesting dominating activities. Many rural areas lack access to reliable infrastructure, including electricity, clean water, and modern healthcare, making self-reliance and community support essential. Traditional customs and practices remain integral to social life, with extended family networks playing a vital role in providing support and guidance. Despite challenges such as economic instability, climate change, and limited job opportunities, rural communities often display resilience, resourcefulness, and a strong sense of cultural identity.

Zimbabwe has two major cultural groups – the Shona and the Ndebele.  Most people at Karanda are Shona.  They have a rich and diverse cultural heritage which includes some very interesting beliefs about illness.  They are a deeply spiritual people who value relationships above most other things, including work at times. They tend to be open and friendly and especially appreciative of attempts to learn the greetings and language. 

60 to 70 percent of Zimbabweans belong to mainstream Christian denominations such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist Churches; however, over the years a variety of indigenous churches and groups have emerged from these mainstream denominations.  While the country is overwhelmingly Christian, the majority of the population continues to believe, to varying degrees, in indigenous religions such as ancestor worship.

English is the official language and is spoken by all the hospital staff and in most urban areas. However most rural patients speak Shona; thus, a translator will be provided to assist with patient care. Ndebele is also spoken by those in the western part of the country.  Sometimes a rare patient from Mozambique may be in the hospital and will speak Portuguese.

Karanda Mission Hospital was established in 1961 to meet the needs of clinics that were developed alongside churches and schools, working in association with the Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe. The hospital has approximately 150 beds, and on an average workday 10-20 surgeries are performed, and 200-300 outpatients are seen. The facility is known for the large number of surgical cases it handles, as well as treating HIV/AIDS, TB, obstetrics, and hydrocephalus.  The patient population is drawn from the entire country as people seek affordable, reliable, compassionate healthcare.

The mission complex has a three-year nurse training school for around 55 students, a one-year midwifery program, and a primary school offering grades 1-7 for children of the hospital staff. The hospital also offers a home-based care program which ministers to the needs of widows, orphans and those with HIV. There are five chaplains who help to meet the spiritual needs of the patients through daily ward devotions, evangelization, and counseling for grief when a patient dies or for end-of-life issues for those with terminal diseases.

Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, plus call.  Work is primarily focused on primary care (outpatient services), obstetrics, and general surgery.  Sometimes, the surgery load can reach 10-20 surgeries per day. Frequent surgeries include prostatectomy, hysterectomy, C-Section, hernia repair, hydrocelectomies, thyroidectomy. Emergency surgeries are done as needed, 24 hours a day, often including bowel obstruction repair, acute abdomen repairs, orthopedic procedures (open and closed reductions with intramedullary fixation as needed).

Common primary care diseases include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, pneumonia, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux, sexually transmitted infections, acute trauma, and fractures. Care is provided for advanced HIV and tuberculosis. At Karanda, nurse practitioners function as clinical officers in the British system.

INMED invites all participants to consider raising extra funds to donate to support Karanda Mission Hospital. While such efforts are not required, this will provide INMED learners to become involved in every aspect of international healthcare.

Upon arrival at the airport in Harare, proceed to the EcoNet desk and purchase a SIM card.  This will enable you to have internet access through an unlocked cell phone while at Karanda. The Internet at Karanda is unreliable and limited.  WhatsApp is recommended for overseas messaging, video and audio calls. Data bundles can be purchased locally and seem to work best for internet access and communication with others.

 

Please visit www.karanda.org

Travel and Logistics

Harare is the closest airport and transportation from the Harare airport to Karanda and back again will be organized for travelers. Flights should not be booked to arrive at night. All travel, once in the country, should occur during daylight hours to enhance safety. Upon arrival in Harare, a scheduled driver will take travelers to a guesthouse for a day or two of orientation and grocery shopping. The drive to the hospital is two to three-hours, depending on the time of year, and is on paved roads for most of the way. 

For current information, please visit the Zimbabwe Embassy website appropriate for your country. Visa on arrival may be available. Unless otherwise instructed, request a Business Visa. Do not bring medical supplies unless prior arrangement has been made with Karanda Mission Hospital. Do bring several extra passport photos and copies of the identification page of your passport

Physicians and nurses must be licensed in advance by the Medical & Dental Practitioner’s Council of Zimbabwe. Licensing takes three to four months for physicians, and three to six months for nurses. DOs are not currently recognized in Zimbabwe.

Consult your personal physician before traveling. All routine vaccinations must be up to date, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and tetanus. Typhoid vaccination is recommended. Malaria is a risk in this region, especially in the rainy season, and visitors should consider prophylaxis with their physician prior to travel. Refer to the CDC Travel Website for the most up-to-date health information.

If you are taking regular medication, bring a supply for your entire trip in your carry-on luggage.  You may want to bring a signed and dated statement from your physician indicating your health problem and the prescribed dosage of the medication.

INMED learners visiting Karanda Mission Hospital can accompany the national and missionary doctors on morning rounds on the male, female, pediatrics and obstetrics wards. They also participate in the outpatient clinic which operates throughout the day. They can scrub in on cases in the OR, both general surgical and obstetrical. If skilled in ultrasound they may use the hospital’s ultrasound machine or bring their own. There is the chance to visit the lab and see slides unique to Low-Middle Income Countries, to accompany the vaccination team to nearby villages, and to join the chaplain staff both in local village visits and in inpatient work. Learners can visit the physical therapy department and are invited to morning staff chapel.  At times learners have taught in the nurse training school. There is an active children’s ministry called AWANA which is fun to join on Sunday mornings.  During parts of the year Karanda also has medical interns from the University of Zimbabwe. 

Food options are limited, so while in Harare you will purchase groceries sufficient for your stay before driving to Karanda. A guesthouse is provided on the hospital compound. The rooms are western style, comfortable, and have mosquito nets.  The water and electricity are variable; thus, we have backup systems in place. Each guesthouse has a kitchen with several appliances including a microwave and common areas.  Each bedroom has its own individual bathroom.  Laundry service is provided. Buildings including homes in Zimbabwe do not have heating so it can get very chilly at night.  If you are sensitive to the cold, bring layers of warm clothes so you can add if need be. Vans are available but no air conditioning. Electricity in Zimbabwe is 220-240 volts AC, For the most part, there is one type of electrical socket (outlet) used in Zimbabwe: the “Type G ” British BS-136.

Church Services and Prayer Meetings: There are several churches in the Karanda area.  Volunteers are welcome to attend with hospital staff or explore options personally, with staff notification. 

Evenings and weekends: If you are not on call, then you are free to plan your time.  There is not much ‘entertainment’ available, so we tend to have meals together, play games or sports, read books, watch DVD’s.  You are welcome to make plans with nationals.  On weekends, there is often a soccer match to watch.  You may also want to go on a hike. There are some shops and a market for small purchases.

Sightseeing: Zimbabwe is home to many beautiful tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities.  The world-renowned Victoria Falls is a short flight away.  Please let your Karanda contact know if you plan to do a sightseeing excursion or safari while in the country.  These excursions are suggested to be taken at the end of your trip before departing back to the US.

In the hospital: Doctors may wear scrubs on OR days and smart casual clothing for rounds and clinic (dress khakis and polo shirt or lightweight button up, but no jeans).  Female personnel must wear dresses/skirts to knee length unless they are specifically working in the OR that day. Nurses are required to wear white uniforms, again dresses/skirts for women, epaulettes, and brown shoes (when serving 2 – 4 weeks tennis shoes are ok). White jackets may be worn to mark them as official hospital personnel but are not required as the weather is often quite hot.   A name tag or ID from the US is also helpful for identification. A light jacket or sweater may be needed for the cool of the mornings and evenings.

Outside the hospital: Make every effort to dress in a way that is culturally sensitive, inoffensive, and consistent with the values of the people of Zimbabwe. MEN:  In Harare anything appropriate for the weather is acceptable if it is not unseemly. WOMEN:  At Karanda women should wear loose fitting, knee length dresses or skirts.  Dress for women is in process of changing and smart/casual trousers are becoming acceptable.  Dress should always be modest. Bring comfortable walking/tennis shoes.  People do lots of walking, running, climbing local mountains, playing basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, etc. Bring hats for the hot sun, sun block, and good sunglasses with high UV filter.

Bring copies of any healthcare profession licenses, diplomas, or certifications. Be sure to pack a carry-on bag that has your essentials just in case your luggage becomes lost. Also recommended:

  • Drink mixes, i.e. Crystal light
  • Preferred chocolate/candy
  • Salt or sugar substitutes
  • Sunscreen, at least SPF 15
  • Lip balm and lotion
  • Flashlight- power goes off often
  • Extra batteries
  • Film or memory cards for your camera
  • Small sewing kit
  • Water bottle
  • Books or E-books or DVD’s
  • Games or hobbies for children
  • Travel packs of facial tissue – often used as toilet paper
  • Hand sanitizer/wet wipes
  • Small backpack for hikes, travel
  • Satchel to store your medical equipment like stethoscope, otoscope, reference material, gloves, etc.

Note: Not all INMED learners post a blog regarding their international service-learning. Only completed blogs are listed:

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