PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE TO SEE DCMC'S PROGRESS 2006-2010

“Building for the Next Generation” is the theme of the $4 million campaign to complete the 180 bed hospital. The land has been cleared for the entire hospital and foundations for the first three buildings have been completed. The three buildings to be completed first are an outpatient facility including ; a laboratory and pharmacy; and an imaging center/emergency room with operating capabilities. With the completion of these facilities, DCMC will be able to offer complete diagnostic services, emergency care and limited surgical care. The ability to do C sections will nicely complement the Reproductive and Child Health Center Construction of the remainder of the hospital will follow as the necessary funds are obtained.

First Foundation; Land Dedication

Dodoma Christian Medical Center Video

Dodoma Innovation and Production Company is Hospital Contractor

and Provides Hope for DCMC’s Future

THE DIPC STORY: Several U.S. investors pooled resources in 2007 to start Dodoma Innovation and Production Company. The company is legally organized so that a portion of the profits after the investments are paid back will go to sustain future DCMC operations. A hydraform brick making machine launched the first business and met a big demand for the interlocking bricks in Dodoma The bricks were used to build the A-SANTE water bottling plant, DI&PC’s second project. The entire plant operation was purchased from and installed by Norland Int’l Inc. in Lincoln Nebraska. A-SANTE has been distributed in Dodoma and meets the Tanzanian Bureau of Standards approval rating. DI&PC received a Tanzanian contractor’s license after a lengthy application process qualifying the company to be the DCMC Hospital Contractor, under the direction of Constatin Boehl, Managing Director.

Brick Making Machine and Crew	DI&PC Block Yard

Water Bottling Factory	A-SANTE Assembly Worker

Two Key Accomplishments Mark the Safe Motherhood Program

DCMC continued training village health workers in eight rural villages emphasizing education and encouraging deliveries to be done at a health care facility. Women who may have high risk pregnancies are identified and referred early to the district hospital. In addition, DCMC’s Community Health Director, Katrin Boehl helped organize an Emergency Obstetric Care three day work shop in partnership with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center and a Duke University team. The baby pictured has been nick named “DCMC Grandbaby” and is being brought by her grandmother to DCMC for observation and immunization. Her mother died as a result of child birth complications. Dodoma has one of the highest maternal/infant mortality rates in Tanzania.

Emergency Obstetric Care Training	"DCMC Grandbaby"

Peer Educators Key to HIV/AIDS Interventions

DCMC’s peer education model continues to expand.   The Community Health Team trained eighteen peer educators from the Mpwapwa district specifically in HIV/AIDS  prevention. They were supplied with training manuals and  teaching materials that covered the mode of transmission and phases of the infection, prevention of mother to child transmission, opportunistic infections, and anti-retro viral drugs. They are trained in presentation, group discussions, role plays and drama.  Members of this group recently trained fifteen other peer educators in Dodoma town who are affiliated with a program targeting  drug users and potential drug users sponsored by  the Regional Police Commission and the Mirembe Mental Hospital.

SAADA Club House Sign	Small Axe Against Drug Abuse Members

DCMC Dental Clinic continues to achieve country wide reputation for  good dental care. Dr. Charles Rabemehefa, Chief Dental Officer  and his dental staff missed the services of  Dr. Francis Mdoe , Assistant Dental Officer  for most of the year.   Dr Francis Mdoe, DCMC's  Assistant Dentist received a Ministry of Health Scholarship to complete his MPH at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Moshi.  He returns to DCMC in August. His thesis evaluated the dental  prevention program at Ntyuka school .   Each Wednesday a group of students from Ntyuka  receive examinations and cleaning as part of that program.   Two graduates of Muhimbili Dental School are serving a rotation at DCMC.

Dr. Francis Mdoe Illustrates Dental Prevention program	Dental Assistant and Prevention Program Student

DCMC Highlights 2009

 

Imagi Hill Complex is New Staff Housing

 

Community Health Department Educational Trip

Pictures shown here were taken during  a two day trip  led by the DCMC Community Health Department  for the DCMC management team members and DCMC trustees for a better understanding of the challenges and needs facing rural Dodoma. The Community Health Department workers are responsible for four areas of programming:  oversight of the rural dispensaries; reduction of maternal and infant death rates, HIV/AIDS, and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health.   The two DCMC Lutheran dispensaries visited were Chamkoroma and Lwihomelo. Statistics compiled for 2008 indicate that Chamkoroma saw 1,934 patients and Lwihomelo treated 1,693. The group saw the impact of the Winza ruby mines and its effect on the Mpwapwa district where the gem trade has increased  prostitution and exploitation of young girls and exploded the transmission of HIV/AIDs and early pregnancies.  The community health team is working to counteract this trend with training of peer education groups.

 

Chamkoroma Dispensary Staff	Chamkoroma Patients

 

Katrin Boehl, Community Health Director and Lwihomelo Clinical Officer	Lwihomelo Patients

Community Health Department's Perezia Baliyendeza RN and Lwihomelo Lab Tech	Dickson Chinunje, DCMC Community Health Team Member Unloading Dispensary Supplies

Wizna Mine Shanty Town Housing	First Peer Educators

Reproductive and Child Health Center Hosts Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda

In November DCMC welcomed Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda for dedication of the Reproductive and Child Health Center and for the opening of the neighboring A-SANTE water bottling plant. He also toured the Dental Clinic and reviewed the plans for DCMC hospital.  Over 400 people attended the event and meal on site.  Dancers from nearby Ntyuka village provided entertainment and the promotion for Asante water.  The water bottling plant is a for-profit endeavor planned to provide future funds to DCMC.

Ntyuka Village Dancers

Volunteers Bring Expertise for DCMC

Dr. Herrick, dental volunteer and Dental Clinic Staff	Dr. David Flatt greeting patient at DCMC Clinic

Dr. David Flatt and Dr. Jim Herrick were recent volunteers at DCMC.  Dr. Flatt, a retired cardiologist who grew up in Tanzania provided basic cardiology training for DCMC staff and neighboring medical personnel.  Dr. Herrick is a retired dentist from Austin, Minnesota and was a returning volunteer trainer for the Dental Clinic staff.  In addition Steven Lay, a recent electrical engineering graduate of the St. Thomas Compatible Engineering program spent two months providing supportive technical services. 

Reproductive and Child Health Center Open for Business

 DCMC staff, patients, and visitors are celebrating the new building and the service it is providing ambulatory patients.  While most patients have been young children, people of all ages are finding their way to DCMC.   Originally intended to be an outpatient clinic, the center will be licensed for inpatient beds to meet the Ministry of Health criteria for a Health Center and to meet the growing need in the Dodoma area.  It will keep its focus on maternal and child care and the focus of the programming and outreach will be on helping to change Central Tanzania’s grim maternal/child mortality rates.  When fully operational, the center will offer a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program including antiretroviral drug therapy.   The site has had many visitors.  The University of Minnesota delegation made DCMC one of their stops in exploring partnership connections in Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda.  They are pictured here after being greeted by the DCMC staff.

University of Minnesota Delegation Visit DCMC

Expanding the Vision and Building for the Next Generation

Equipment Donation Launched DCMC's Capital Campaign

Gift of Hospital Equipment Arrives from Munich

A medical equipment gift jumpstarted the 180 bed hospital capital campaign. While the architectural drawings were being finished by Ralph Gierlinger and Drexler and Partners, DCMC was the recipient of a generous gift of three sea containers from the Isar Klinik consortium led by Prof. Eckard Alt. The gift included a 75 KVA generator, 100 mechanical beds and stands, sterilizer and operating room equipment.

Surprise Gifts Proclaim a Promise

DTHD received a donation of a historic church bell that had been erected in 1914 at Emmanuel Church in Avoca, Minnesota.  Global Health Ministries became the transporting agent as it was loaded on the DCMC container February 2008.   As the bell was making its voyage, DTHD received a surprise gift of $100,000 for a chapel on the DCMC site.  Now the bell sits on the DCMC site as a reminder of the chapel to come and the extraordinary circumstances that God uses for His purposes.

Global Health Ministries Faithful Partnership Equips DCMC

Much of the furnishings and equipment for the Reproductive and Child Health Center, the Dental Clinic were collected, catalogued, packed, and shipped on sea containers to Tanzania at Global Health Ministries.   On packing days many volunteers at GHM packed, recorded and loaded  the items  on sea containers.  On arrival in Tanzania they were met with great welcome and recorded when they were unpacked in Tanzania. 

Volunteers at GHM	Container is Off Loaded at DCMC

Dental Clinic Opens for Business January 2007

DCMC received the Ministry of Health registration certificate in January 2007 and opened its doors for business. The clinic has four operatories, a training room, and preparation center and is equipped with x-ray units, a panorex and a vacuum system.  Dr. Charles Rabemahefa from Madagascar heads the DCMC Dental Clinic. He is assisted by Dr. Francis Mdoe

Dr. Mdoe consults with amputee from neighboring village	Dr. Charles Rabemahefa and his assistants

Dental Clinic Prevention Program

Prevention is a key focus of DCMC Dental Clinic. Education programs have been established in three Dodoma schools. Teachers, parents and students all benefit from this dental health promotion and gain understanding of their oral health and the choices they have to improve it. Right: Students from the Canon Andreas Mwaka School toured the new dental clinic and received an oral health lesson from Dr. Francis Mdoe.  Below: students from Ntyuka village school get introduction to oral health and dental hygienest introduces school children to brushing techniques.  

The construction of the Reproductive Child Health Building started in July 2006.

Views of DCMC Compound

Aerial Views: Left: The dental building is on the far right; the reproductive child health facility in the foreground is being completed. Generators are housed is the small building and "Container City" is the long narrow structure. It is being designed to hold sea containers which will be turned into shop and storage space. Below: A total of eight staff houses for senior staff are completed.

The Essentials: Water and Power

As part of the site infrastructure and in addition to piping in City water, DCMC dug a178 meter well and constructed a 160,000 liter reservoir storage tank. Reliable, consistent power is one of Tanzania's biggest challenges. The transformer (right) intercepts TANESCO's supply.

Rural Community Health

The DCMC Managed Lutheran Dispensaries

DCMC’s first involvement in health care was the  management of the Dodoma ELCT rural dispensaries which were struggling to succeed.  Some were founded by Lutheran partners in Germany.   The dispensaries are challenged by their isolation and by shortage of available trained personnel in the country.   If managed well, they present an opportunity to impact the public health of the area in which they were located. DCMC staff mentors and supervises, reviews records and brings supplies by traveling regularly to each one. The staff and DCMC Community team are pictured on the porch of the Kondoa dispensary. Some the dispensary activities are shown below.

Food Distribution

The dispensaries distributed donated Kids Against Hunger supplemental food packets to families in order to intervene in the effects of the three year drought.

Public Health Education: HIV/AIDS Awareness

Community involvement is key to easing the HIV/AIDS stigma and promoting awareness among the village young people. Bicha village near the Kondoa dispensary is example of community involvement. Youth actors presented a series of skits with real life themes to educate about HIV/AIDS.

Picture: Bicha village watches a scene from an HIV/AIDS awareness skit. Scene here warns against phony and unreliable testing.

A SIGNIFICANT EVENT: DCMC COMES OF AGE

Jakaya M. Kikwete, President of Tanzania Officiates in Foundation Stone Ceremony

On June 29, 2006 President Kikwete officiated at the the foundation stone laying ceremony for Dodoma Christian Medical Center, marking the near completion of phase one of the DCMC complex.

Receiving line for President Kikwete

DCMC neighbors-Ntyuka Villagers watching event

Left: President Kikwete, with Bishop Peter Mwamasika at his side, accepts a gift from Dr. Maria Kamm, Chairman of the DCMC Board of Trustees. Right: He reviews the the DCMC Complex plans with project Director, John Toso and Aloyse Mushi of Co-Architecture. Trustees, DTHD president, church and government officials were present at the event.

Dodoma Tanzania Health Development

Sharing God's Gifts to Bring Health and Hope to the People of Central Tanzania

ISAIAH 58:6-12