What great news: Our partner hospital St. Walburg’s Hospital in Nyangao(Tanzania), has been named the hospital with the best hygiene in the Lindi region. It is also ranked seventh among all hospitals in Tanzania. This award represents a truly outstanding performance by the hospital's staff and shows that a great deal has been improved here in recent years.
Some time ago, the hygienic situation on site was anything but prize-worthy: there was a great lack of disinfectants, instruments and equipment were insufficiently cleaned, let alone sterilised. Above all, however, the necessary knowledge was lacking. Knowledge about what consequences insufficient cleanliness can have for patients and staff, and simply about how to implement hygiene properly. How are hands washed properly? What must be observed in terms of cleanliness during surgery and how must a device be cleaned properly to rid it of germs and bacteria?
For many years, our team has been working in the hospital. Together with those responsible on site, we try to improve the situation and make progress little by little. Again and again, we take stock of the situation, uncover deficiencies and join forces to find ways to improve. The award is therefore also a great appreciation for us and our work. It shows us that our efforts on the ground are leading to success, that our work is being received and that the clinic is on a very good path towards high-quality medicine.
So the trend is right and motivates us to continue with our support. There are still many areas where the hygienic situation is far from the standards set by the WHO.
Therefore, we are planning extensive measures for the coming months: The hygiene team - consisting of local medical staff and experts from our volunteers - is currently busy drawing up a precise plan for the next few years. Especially important are training courses in which the basics of hygiene are taught. Only in this way can we assume that the willingness to deal with this issue will increase and that our efforts will also be implemented in the long term. Trained staff on site will then not only be able to act correctly themselves, but will also ensure that hygiene rules and regulations are observed in everyday hospital life. In addition, they can pass on their knowledge to colleagues so that more and more become familiar with the topic.
It is very fortunate that we already have some very competent partners in the hospital who gratefully accept our support and provide input themselves. Thanks to this cooperation, we are convinced that we will be able to further improve the situation at St. Walburg’s Hospital in the coming years.
Hygiene is the be-all and end-all in a medical facility: if the work is not done cleanly, even the best doctor is of no use if the patient comes down with an infection afterwards.
