Aid for a hospital in Congo against a humanitarian disaster

Why do we need blood?

The doctors in our hospital conduct app. 750 transfusions a year. Most blood was given to children suffering from very serious malaria, which is now raging in Northern Kivu. The people are trying to cope on their own, but when the symptoms become alarming and signify the last stage of the disease, they bring their loved ones to us, asking for help. The cost of one bag is 15 dollars.

As most inhabitants of Northern Kivu have less than one dollar per day to make a living, none of the hospital’s patients would be able to pay for their treatment. You have been paying for all transfusions at the hospital in Ntamugenga for several years now. It is not hundreds, but thousands of people who owe you not better living conditions, but their lives. If the demand for transfusions remains at the same level – and it seems that it will – we may need even 3000 PLN per month of additional money.

Why do we need water?

Water shortages are an equally serious and dangerous problem. Water reaches Ntamugenga and the surrounding villages from two nearby hills. Nevertheless, the infrastructure is in a very bad condition. The pipes are buried very shallow, old valves keep breaking all the time, and people simply catch the pipes with their hoes, when cultivating plants in their home gardens. The water pressure drops and the supply is cut off for a day or two or a longer time – until the four plumbers responsible for the infrastructure locate the leak and patch up the hole.

All these disturbances pose a threat of development of deadly epidemics. We had several cases of cholera and other contagious diseases at our hospital. Even now, every long-term failure of the water supply system results in a wave of patients suffering from poisoning, caused by drinking of water from an unknown source. Even if the hospital got independent from the local water supply, this would not solve the problem – lack of water in the village makes our wards bursting at the seams. Therefore sister Agnieszka has been supporting the local plumbing team for several days now. She invests herself in repairs and replacement of the damaged valves. She has visited Goma recently to buy more spare parts. Each of these is an investment in protecting the region against a very serious threat of an epidemic.

If you only can, invest a bit in saving the lives of our beneficiaries. We warrant you that together with sister Agnieszka and the entire personnel of our hospital, we will use the funds collected to help those who need help most.