First week, getting in touch with local partners

TATU Health Project (Msitu Wa Tembo) says welcome to our blog, where you will be able to check out the news on the field, in a weekly basis. We will try to give an overview, easy to read, with some pictures and with the most interesting data. Anytime you want to know more details about something, we are happy to answer by email (proyectomedicotatu@gmail.com), or here in the blog.

During first 4 weeks, me (Iago) will be the one updating the blog. Afterwards, some other volunteer who stays more time will take over. We hope you like it.

First week, getting in touch with local partners

First volunteers who arrived to TATU house, in Moshi, were Isa and Iago. First weekend, we spend it at meetings with TATU Project directors (Daniela and Albane) and with our colleagues from HEC-Montreal. They are business students who are volunteering in the projects of water filters and de-worming campaign at schools. They asked us for advice preparing the medical part of training they give to the locals on these areas.

On 23^rd of June, a week started in which our main goal was stablishing contact and agreements with three partners: dispensary of Msitu Wa Tembo, TPC hospital and NGO Pamoja Tunaweza, who organizes the caravan with us.

Starting with Pamoja Tunaweza, meeting on Monday went very smoothly, it was simply about introducing ourselves and agree in some details of our “mini-caravan”, which is going to take place in Msitu Wa Tembo on 12^th and 19^th of July. Peter, project coordinator, and Dr. Jackson, one of the doctors, invited us to join a mini-caravan they were organizing in Mtakuja on Thursday. Mtakuja is a village in the other side of the mountains of Msitu Wa Tembo. We were there helping and taking note of the logistic, so we will be able to optimize our resources during the mini-caravan in Msitu.

  

On Tuesday, we introduced ourselves in the dispensary of Msitu Wa Tembo. We met Mama Risiki (physician), Asha (nurse) and Veronika (laboratory technician and Home Based Care supervisor). From that day on, it was agreed that we would spend time working with them: at the start, just observing and learning how they work; to be able, later, to suggest changes which improve Msitu dispensary reliability.

  

This is a simple scheme of the rooms at the dispensary we have got to know.

  

TPC hospital is interesting for our project as it is the closer to Msitu Wa Tembo. Due to this, it assists a big number among the labors of women from Msitu, and it is needed for many other situations as well. TPC employees have access to free assistance, but this is usually not the case of Msitu villagers, who have to pay the fees of a private hospital.

  

Meeting with Dr. Osumba, who I had met before, and the clinical officer Dr. Mahuna, was very good. They accepted helping us with data and advice for the training of our health promotion group (we will talk about this in next updates).

As a conclusion, we are happy with the outcome of this first week, in which we have known the most important partners for any sustainable action.

*We send emails letting you know about updates at the blog and other news. We send them to everyone who has helped in the funding or giving advice. If we have forgotten to forward it to you, just send us your email account to: proyectomedicotatu@gmail.com. Thanks.