LIBERTY SURGICAL CAMPAIGN JULY 2015 REPORT

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Pauline Jade Hunt
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1 M.H.C.D MISSION IN HEALTH CARE AND DEVELOPMENT MISSION EN SOINS DE SANTE ET DEVELOPPEMENT P.O.BOX: KINSHASA 01 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Tel: Website: LIBERTY SURGICAL CAMPAIGN JULY 2015 REPORT PRESENTED BY: DR.LUC MULIMBALIMBA MASURURU MHCD DIRECTOR

2 SPECIAL THANKS: Am so grateful to God for his favour upon me and all the MHCD staffs to commence the surgical campaign. When we started this project, we never measured its impact on the wider community at large. Today Luvungi MHCD Hospital has become a referral Hospital and it has contributed in promoting primary health care and reducing poverty in Uvira District even in other neighbouring countries like Burundi. Am grateful to the MHCD friends who contributed to the success of the liberty surgical campaign. When you read the report, you will get to realize the enormous impact of your contribution and how your support has brought peace, joy and reconciliation in many families and communities. MHCD Doctors and anaesthetist carrying out an operation in one of the theatres at Luvungi MHCD Hospital.

APPRECIATION: My appreciation to all the medical team from Kinshasa and the MHCD Doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers who accepted to volunteer for two months to offer medical care

3 APPRECIATION: My appreciation to all the medical team from Kinshasa and the MHCD Doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers who accepted to volunteer for two months to offer medical care to the poor who could not afford treatment. May God bless you very much. Am also grateful to my wife Dellice Mulimbalimba and all my children for accepting and allowing me to go to Luvungi and carry out this campaign. I appreciate also all MHCD supporters and friends from Australia who sacrifice day and night supporting poor and vulnerable people of DRCongo.When you finish reading this report, you will realise the the impact of the whole campaign. The photo below is of a child who was born with malformation and who was also amongst those brought into the MHCD Hospital for surgery. It s the most difficult case we received in July. Most cases were complications, it was difficult but this was the worst. I have attached this photo on the appreciation page because he is in need of surgery and we are thinking of operating him in August if we get support.

4 INTRODUCTION: Following difficulties in the treatment of diseases that the people of Uvira District experienced,mhcd commenced a medical surgical campaign for the sake of helping all the sick and extremely poor so they may have access to proper, good and affordable health care services. Between the year 2013 and 2014 we received very many patients in need of specialists and operations so they can be healed. Since we do not have specialists at the Luvungi MHCD Hospital, we had to transfer them to Bujumbura Burundi, Bukavu and Kigali Rwanda for special treatment but since they are very poor, they could not afford even the transport to reach the destinations. Most of them died and others stayed home suffering with their sickness. Many of the cases required special treatment or operations. When we heard about this, that most of them have died and others still suffering back in their homes, we began organising the liberty surgical campaign so we can bring in specialists to carry out operations and treat them for free. The patients included those with eye and dental problems; gynaecological disorders i.e. Fistula, fibroids, vaginal prolapses, prostate, cleft lip and pallet, goitre, epilepsy and many others. We selected medical doctor s specialists in different domains from Kinshasa among them gynaecologist, surgeon, orthopaedist, ophthalmologist, dentist, Anaesthetist, Epileptologist and emergency medicine doctor. All the doctors accepted to volunteer and they travelled to Luvungi MHCD Hospital so they can help the sick. We purchased medicines, medical equipment and consumable medical materials. We commenced the medical and surgical campaign on the 1 st of July,2015.We received 250 patients on the first day.70% had very difficult complications. The same day we had to turn one of the rooms at the hospital be another theatre and we operated 30 patients. The following day 20 patients were operated and it s been the same to till today. The campaign shall be running for two months hence shall be running through to 1 st of Sept.2015.Most of the patients were women and children. We also received the elderly. Most of the patients who came at the Hospital had already lost hope, most had to walk for 4 to 5 days so they can reach the Hospital.

5 GOITRE OPERATION: There is one woman who was suffering from goitre who also came at the Hospital. At her village they believed that goitre is as a result of a curse or witchcraft and that anyone suffering from the same is a witch. The woman never had peace at her village, anywhere she passed she was heckled at and calling her names. The husband even left her. The lady said she has been indoors for a year due to fear of her life and was very traumatised. She used to cry day and night. When the hiding became unbearable, she attempted suicide thrice but was saved by her child. She was completely rejected by the community. She heard about the surgical campaign on the Impact Radio and that goitre will be among the cases that shall be dealt with. She decided to try her luck so she travelled at night so as to avoid hecklers. From her village to Luvungi Hospital is 110kms so she walkedallthe way in the darkness so she can reach the hospital. On her arrival at the Hospital the doctors operated her and it was very successful and the goitre was not seen. She testified at the Impact Radio, the husband heard and he even came to visit her at the Hospital. When he did not see any sign of goitre, he believed that it was not a curse or witchcraft but disease. He even asked he wife for forgiveness and they decided to come back together as a family. Back in the village people stood in amazement wanting to catch a glimpse other and there were no hecklers. The campaign has brought peace, hope, joy, reconciliation and forgiveness in the family and the community. In the whole of Uvira District there is no Hospital carrying out goitre operations and in other places where it s done the cost is USD500 which the woman and many others who were operated on would never have afforded since they live below the poverty line. The campaign has been a great support to the family and the whole community. MHCD doctors operating the lady with goitre. FISTULA OPERATION:

We received another woman with fistula problem. She was raped during war and she developed a gynaecological condition that made her suffer so much.

6 We received another woman with fistula problem. She was raped during war and she developed a gynaecological condition that made her suffer so much. She suffered for one and a half years and never informed her husband or relatives because she feared if the husband knew they would divorce. The disease advanced and she could not even control her bladder. She started smelling so bad, the husband and the children left. She remained alone in the house with her mother. When they heard of the Fistula surgery she also came. The mother came carrying her on the back and it took them 3 days to arrive because of many rests on the way. When the doctors and nurses saw her, their eyes were filled with tears since the woman was extremely thin and malnourished. She was operated on and it was successful. After few days, she was not smelling again, we gave her clothing and food and she started being normal. The husband on hearing the news came to visit her with the children and they were very happy. Relatives and the whole community could not believe it when they saw her. This testimony gave the hospital a good reputation and we received very many sick people. The woman is still at the hospital continuing with care and rehabilitation and in few weeks she will be going back to her home. Liberty surgical campaign once again brought peace, joy, hope and reconciliation in the family. A Woman who has been operated on and was suffering from fistula resting at the MHCD Hospital ward.she is doing very well.

7 PROSTATE OPERATION: We received a man suffering from prostate. He had suffered so much with this condition, the urination was little and very painful and when he visited one of the Hospitals in Uvira he was asked for USD1200 for operation. Since he could not afford this, he had to go back home to wait for his death. By good luck when he heard about the campaign, he came and was operated on. He was very surprised to hear that the operation on him was free. Before going back to his home, he really sang and danced, it was a miracle to him. The patient who was operated on for prostate resting outside and taking breakfast at the Hospital compound.

A CHILD BORN WITH MALFORMATION: The child in this photo was born with an abnormality. He has a cleft lip and pallet, tumour on the head and doesn t have eyes.

8 A CHILD BORN WITH MALFORMATION: The child in this photo was born with an abnormality. He has a cleft lip and pallet, tumour on the head and doesn t have eyes. He was born in one maternity unit in Uvira District. When he was born, the mother says all the nurses and midwives ran away saying she had given birth to a monster. The husband also left when he saw the baby. When the mother heard about the campaign, she also came to try her luck and she came at night for fear of being heckled at. When the surgeon saw him, he said it s a complicated case and he will need to be with a neurologist to carry out the operation. The child also needed to go through a CT scan to verify if it indeed tumour. The budget put forward by the doctors is USD5000 so his life can be saved.exainations that were done by the doctor indicated he is normal but the CT scan will be for proving. The child and the mother is at the MHCD Hospital waiting for any luck that God shall bring their way so funds can be found for the child s treatment.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH MALFORMATION: We received other

operated on in August if we get more funds to support the

In July Doctors treated such cases and were very successful.

9 WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH MALFORMATION: We received other women and children with other malformation but they shall be operated on in August if we get more funds to support the campaign. In July Doctors treated such cases and were very successful. Cleft lip and pallets are among the cases to be operated on in August. Please pray for us so that God may continue to open the door and that we get support for surgeries in August Above are some of the patients awaiting operation.

EPILEPSY TREATMENT: Epilepsy was also amongst the diseases we covered in July. In Uvira District in DRCongo still some people think epilepsy is as a result of a curse or witchcraft.

10 EPILEPSY TREATMENT: Epilepsy was also amongst the diseases we covered in July. In Uvira District in DRCongo still some people think epilepsy is as a result of a curse or witchcraft. Amongst the patients were youths of between 15 and 25 years who were rejected by their families and communities because they thought if they emitted CO2 they will also be infected. Many came with wounds on them and smelling so bad because they were not taking shower. The nurses first bathed them, treated the wounds, given new clothes and treated for epilepsy. Most were experiencing 3 or 4 fits per day. After the treatment, they went back home with no fits. Among the medicines administered was carbamazepine that really helped them. They were very happy and most of them are going back to school in this academic year so as to complete their secondary school education. We also sensitized the community and they know epilepsy is not a curse but a disease that can be managed. One of the epilepsy patient hospitalised at the Luvungi Hospital.

PATIENTS RECEIVED IN JULY: Every day we received 150-180 Patients. In total we received 5400 patients with different problems.

11 PATIENTS RECEIVED IN JULY: Every day we received Patients. In total we received 5400 patients with different problems. 600 patients were operated on in July, 3200 received normal treatment and 1600 special treatment. We are very happy to see that we received 5400 patients in one month and the Hospital is full of patients and there are those sleeping in the Pamela community centre and rehabilitation centre due to lack of space. Because of the many patients we were receiving every day, we had to improvise a reception room outside the Hospital building under one of the trees so as to avoid congestion.mhcd staffs are registering the patients.

12 Thank you very much for your donation and support that helped us treats 5400 patients in one month. Kindly please may you again consider supporting the campaign so that this August we might complete the remaining patients. SUCCESS: The success is that every patient who arrived left very satisfied and Doctors and nurses worked around the clock to treat the sick every day. Again Doctors before operation studied the cases keenly to ascertain if it was possible so that the patients can be well treated and this really helped since all the patients operated on were very satisfied. One of the patients who was successfully operated on for prostate is doing very well and relaxing at MHCD Luvungi Hospital bed.

13 DIFFICULTIES: We encountered many difficulties but shall list just a few. Firstly, we received many patients than our expectations. We experienced shortages in medicine because of the greater number of patients. Doctors worked for more than 11 hours every day starting 7.30am and this brought fatigue. Those whose cases were difficult like cancer and were asked to go back home due to the advancement of the case felt really bad. REQUEST AND NEED: We kindly please request all MHCD friends reading this report to please support us so we can complete the remaining patients. We need USD 40,000 so we can manage to complete operation and treatment for the patients remaining. We shall continue to manage the funds with wisdom so the patients can be satisfied after the whole process. Your support shall bring peace,hope,joy and reconciliation amongst families and communities living in Uvira District and DRCongo.

14 CONCLUSION: I will be sending the second report after the month of August. Am so grateful to all those who have continually sacrificed to save lives of the vulnerable people of Uvira District. Your contribution has really changed lives of so many people. You brought hope, joy and prosperity in so many families and communities. Your support was very valuable and it gave life to so many Congolese people. We still have so many patients hospitalised at MHCD Luvungi Hospital who are in need of your prayers and support. I will continue to serve the vulnerable and ensure every cent goes to the intended purpose. Thanks a lot for your love, care and support and May God bless you. CONTACT: For more information, suggestion or support, please contact: DR. LUC MULIMBALIMBA MASURURU moulymasu@gmail.com TEL:

LUVUNGI MHCD GENERAL HOSPITAL

M.H.C.D MISSION IN HEALTH CARE AND DEVELOPMENT LUVUNGI MHCD GENERAL HOSPITAL Luvungi MHCD Hospital is a community and a proximal Hospital located in Luvungi village, Uvira District, South Kivu Province