35. EINSATZ IN SUMBAWANGA BEENDET
DEAR DONORS
DEAR FRIENDS
Interplast Germany e.V. -Munich Section has been supporting the work of the Dr. Atiman Memorial Hospital in Sumbawanga for 15 years now.
On 16 October 2024, the 35th mission began with preparations under the direction of Marcus Strotkötter, Reverend Mother Yasinta Rugabagi and Geofrey Ndunguru, including organising the mission, registering patients, setting up the operating theatre, providing surgical materials and the necessary medication.
The preparation team was accompanied by two electricians from Builtec Holding GmbH for 14 days. Marcel Kronshage and Marvin Steinmeier were sent by their companies as part of the ‘Auf der Walz 4.0’ project. This was done on the one hand as a form of recognition and incentive and on the other hand to actively improve the hospital's operational capability. Both were achieved excellently in close cooperation with Raphael Njawiket, senior technician at Dr. Atiman Hospital. All existing electrical installations were checked and, where necessary, repaired and expanded.
In the period from 25 October to 8 November, the 14-member Interplast team, together with the 14-member local team, was able to screen a total of 128 patients under the surgical direction of Dr. Günther Siemoneit, Dr. Martina Müller and Dr. Yusuf Magaka and the anaesthesiological direction of Dr. Christina Schnabel, Geofrey Ndunguru and Alphonce Katunka. The patients presented with fresh and old fractures, large open wounds and fresh burns requiring surgery. During the period of deployment, 58 operations, 83 dressing changes under anaesthesia and 265 dressing changes were carried out by our surgical team Martina Kuhlmann, Jana Hahn, Sonja Kunkel, Klaus Janssen and Daniel Thüring. Our physiotherapists Carina Göpfert and Tommi Pietka were able to carry out 290 applications to mobilise patients with Silas Yason and Samaje Felicien. In the maternity ward, 70 births were attended by our midwives Anke Arnold and Mandy Pleikies. All operations went without complications and without wound healing disorders. Documentation and administrative support was provided by Melanie Rehn and Iris Bellingrodt. Geoffrey Ndunguru and Mary Streven took over the aftercare. We are being informed about the results daily.
The mission was overshadowed by the death of Kenneth Yona, Chief Medical Officer in Charge, who passed away a few days before the mission due to a serious illness. We mourn the loss of a very good friend, role model, mentor and doctor who has significantly influenced the fate of the hospital in recent years and has always been a guarantor for further development.
We would like to thank all donors, especially all the team members mentioned by name, who have contributed their time, unpaid labour, materials and financial support. Special thanks go to the Interplast Foundation, Sebastian Gampe, Sandra Lorenz, Ralf Georgi, Builtec Holding GmbH, Solidargemeinschaft Menschen in Not e.V., pro interplast Seligenstadt e.V., Vocadeo e.V., Eva Spieler, Marcus Strotkoetter, Zohra Schardt, Martina Kuhlmann, Klaus Janssen, Dr Ulrike Seeliger-Ollmann and Anke Arnold, without whom these special assignments would not be possible.