Yirgalem Hamlin Fistula Centre
This centre is situated within the grounds of the regional Yirgalem hospital. Yirgalem itself is south of Addis Ababa in the Sidoma zone which has a population of over 14 million. From Addis Ababa the journey takes about five hours by car on a narrow road that traverses the Great Rift Valley.
The region is inflicted with frequent famines, widespread poverty and high rates of illiteracy. The enormous cultural diversity that exists in this region means that the hospital staff is faced with constant language and cultural challenges. Many patients experience a great sense of cultural isolation during their hospital stay as there are often few women there from their unique tribes. Most of our staff speak Amharic, and as translators for some of these rare dialects are not easy to find verbal communication remains limited.
Dr. Einar makes rounds in Yirgalem Hospital. Dr Einar Lande, a Norwegian doctor, is in charge of this centre. At present Dr Einar operates on about 400 patients per year. Two nursing sisters and ten nurses aides were trained at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to work at the Centre. One of these nurses is Sister Sara Honja who had been working at the Yirgalem Hospital for fourteen years after graduating from Awasa Health Science College. She has an unwavering commitment to helping impoverished women in her area.
This two story facility has a 20 bed ward, operating theatre, admission office and teaching rooms on the upper level and a kitchen, laundry, physiotherapy room and handicrafts room on the lower level. The centre began taking patients in September 2006 with the Official Opening in November of that year.
We are very grateful to:-
- The Norwegion Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) who funded the construction of the building
- The Norwegion Lutheran Mission for building funding
- Swiss Women's Hope International who funded the equipment
Centre Photos
|
Bahar Dar
