When America landed in Burundi

In all-different- countries, governmental policies call what the UN defined as "MGO". This health and infrastructure, social and economic case is a proof of some political/leadership contradictions and opportunities : American missionaries had to be understood in such a poor area, Murore. A whole history has been destroyed-and still-...Yes, the local government is responsible of that dying hospital, but everyone shall be concerned.    hard not only for patient, but also to the medical crew, we face many complicated cases as there is no blood bank, etc.” showed that hospital’s Doctor in Chief. He added, “Visiting the whole hospital, you will realize that the Hospital has, actually, a capacity of 52 people, admitted, what can’t be effective, to stay realistic.” Shall I add to this prior picturing, no way to avoid the suffocating smell, an indication of a number of challenges to meet, especially, the poor hygiene. 

Audace Machado 

Written in September, 2012

The maternity

At the beginning, just a relief tent! The hospital of Murore - in the province of Cankuzo- is at the service of the population since 1945. It all started with a tent that an American missionary settled then, there. That hospital remained of a regional reputation through its services, especially, “I guess that was one of the best hospital for surgery in this African region”, had assured me late Philippe Kanonko,   born in there. More than a simple health center, it hosted urgent cases and for more difficult throughout Burundi, some patients of Rwanda and Tanzania. It is under the second Republic that this hospital was nationalized.

Hope? Nevertheless, the hospital of Murore is today –since decades- facing the difficulties of operation due to a number of reasons: the lack of competent personnel for the effective of patients suffering from different ailments. The little modern equipment available at that hospital are of paramount importance, but unfortunately, do not operate because of insufficient or lack of power, simply. It is among other things a sterilizer unit, a distiller, electric sink, a fridge from the morgue, etc. Nevertheless, a generator helps in an emergency and is used for small devices that do not require much energy. Let’s keep the kind of facts without forgetting that, getting petrol is a big deal there.

“An evil never comes alone!” This lack of equipment, compounded –and through decades- a lack of drinking water, and electricity, particularly, paralyses the emergency section, laboratory, just to name the few services, including the maternity bloc. Anesthetic equipment exists but has no technician to make it work. By the way, “we have three beds, three mattresses, and linked mosquito nets. But, in case of surgery, it’s

MEDRETE 15-1 Medic readiness & training. Jan, 2015

Just a helping hand! Besides the above description, four doctors perform full time to face kinds "insurmountable" challenges especially in orthopedics’ sections or ultrasound, yet much solicited. Responsible for this health structure, the supply continues, and would be seen as an advantage. But it remains a great dream in 25 km from the center of the Province of Cankuzo, itself deprived of electricity. However, the hospital of Murore remains the relief of patients coming from the border provinces of Cankuzo, even from Tanzania, the neighboring country.