Over 380 people benefit with Mkapa health camp in two days

DODOMA: THE ongoing health outreach programme in Mtwara Region has brought relief to citizens by providing specialist medical services to over 380 people in two days, Monday and Tuesday.

Speaking during the official launching ceremony of the camp on Wednesday at Mbuyuni Ward in Masasi District Council, Acting Executive Director of the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) Dr Henry Humba described the impressive feats of the camp as a great milestone aiming at revitalizing the former President Benjamin Mkapa’s legacy on advancing healthcare across the country.

He said the BMH in collaboration with other key stakeholders including the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation is keen to see all residents in Masasi benefiting with the health camp that extends specialist medical services fo the areas in most need.

“We would like to see all citizens living here receiving specialist medical services,” Dr Humba told Mtwara thousands of Mtwara residents, pledging that even after the conclusion of the camp on Friday, the BMF will organize another programme in the near future.

“We understand the demand is high. BMH in collaboration with the Mkapa Foundation, we are ready to return back at a much longer period so as to provide services to all people,” Dr Humba said.

He explained that in the first two days 385 people received medical attention, out of whom 182 on Monday and others 203 on Tuesday.

Furthermore, he said seven people underwent operations including genital urinary, eye and general surgeries.

Looking forward, Dr Humba hinted that on Wednesday alone the camp planned to carry out 28 surgeries encompassing eye surgeries.

He attributed the stunning developments to the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation for seeking strategic partnership with BMH that made the notable programme a reality.

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He said the health camp features nine specialist medical doctors, of whom six are from BMH and the remaining three are from Mtwara.

The health pundits include a general surgeon, cardiologist and physician, urologist, nephrologist and anaesthesiologist.

The launching ceremony also included commemoration of the 10 and 20-year anniversaries of the BMH and Benjamin Mkapa Foundation respectively.

Dr Humba used the event also to reflect the BHM contributions to elevating specialist healthcare in the country by noting that in 10 years, the hospital conducted kidney transplant to 55 people from within the country and beyond.

He said the hospital has made bonemarrow transplant to 36 newborn babies, the remarkable service that saved lives.

For his part, Managing Director of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, Dr Ellen Senkoro said the non-governmental institution in two decades has played a vital role in consolidating health services provision to underserved areas in all regions around the country by running various initiatives such as clinics and hiring health experts including nurses and community health workers.

She said the foundation had employed about 18,000 health experts in which about 1,000 were allocated in Mtwara.

Moreover, Dr Senkoro said the Mkapa Foundation has constructed houses for 50 health personnel in Mtwara.

Regarding the International Clubfoot Day which was marked on June 3, Wednesday in Masasi, she said the foundation has been facilitating treatment to newborn babies with clubfoot challenges through its 76 clinic centres in both government and religious hospitals.

She encouraged parents to take their new babies to hospitals early for treatment insisting that clubfoot is curable.

The recommended duration for taking the new baby to hospital is when he or she is under one year old.

Meanwhile, she commended all the specialist doctors for relentless commitment to services they demonstrated since the camp began.

“This is the good collaboration that we could like to maintain through comprehensive outreach programmes of this kind as we uphold the late Mkapa’s legacy,” Dr Senkoro said.

Coordinator of Social welfare Service-Department of Curative Service in the Ministry of Health,Mr Christopher Mariba said globally the number of people with clubfoot stands at nine million with 80 per cent of it available in Sub-Saharan African countries including Tanzania.

He said the government has taken bold initiatives by ensuring all referral hospitals in the country offer treatments for clubfoot.

Mr Mariba said the focus through capacity building is to ensure all health personnel including doctors in government’s hospitals and health centres have clubfoot treatment skills.

Inaugurating the ceremony, Mtwara Regional Commissioner, Colonel Donald Msengi thanked all the organisers of the camp that boosted healthcare in the region.

“Strategic collaborations can bring meaningful shared outcomes,” he said.

He encouraged citizens to utilize the remaining days for receiving the advanced medical care which has been brought closer to them.

The iconic health camp is jointly organized by the BHM, Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, Surgery, Obstetrics, Trauma and Anesthesia Convoys (SOTAC) and the Masasi District Council Hospital.

The health mission kicked off on Monday and will be concluded on Friday, June 5.

The Masasi District Council Hospital is a host.

The post Over 380 people benefit with Mkapa health camp in two days first appeared on Daily News.

The post Over 380 people benefit with Mkapa health camp in two days appeared first on Daily News.