Healthcare

There is a government clinic in Munyama as well as health posts in surrounding villages. However, many people are cut off from accessing health-care facilities because of the isolation by water and the distance to get there. The clinic is run by 2 nurses and an environmental health worker. There are community health workers that help out in reaching out as well as giving necessary health care teaching to the community. They all work under Siavonga District Hospital. There are special days for antenatal care, and immunisations. For deliveries, they used to deliver at home; and some still do, or had to go to Siavonga Hospital. Last years there has been an increase in the number of women coming to the clinic for deliveries and antenatal care. There are plans to renovate the maternity waiting home. So we hope that more women will deliver in the clinic. Many times people consult witchdoctors for their health problems with a belief that there is a supernatural cause (witchcraft) for their illness. We believe God wants to show them how much He cares for each and every one of them through meeting their health-care needs. To meet this need; we have spoken to the District Medical officials at the local clinic and Siavonga district hospital and they have agreed to partner with us in meeting the health needs in the valley.

This partnership allows Lisette to work at Siavonga District Hospital and Munyama Clinic as well as running of mobile clinics whenever and wherever we plan to within Siavonga District. With provision and availability of resources, we would like to run regular mobile clinics in the area and also offer basic primary health care teachings to the locals so they can themselves be able to address the health care needs in the area.

Photo: Lisette working in the local clinic

Photo: Mobile clinic

Photo: Antenatal check-up during hospital outreach

Invitation: how you can be involved

• Qualified personnel or people trained in this area can come and volunteer on short term or long term basis, working hand in hand with the local clinic and health posts, serving the local communities;
• At the moment we cannot yet facilitate enough activities for long term volunteers wanting to offer ‘strictly medical help’ at the clinic in Munyama, but we could organise a combination with other ministries we are involved in.
• We have many people in the valley who suffer from different eye problems such as cataracts or poor vision and in need of spectacles. We are in need of a team or individuals that specialises in these areas.