Machame Hospital
Machame Lutheran Hospital is operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. Established in 1893, it originally served as a treatment center for German missionaries. Over the years, the hospital has expanded significantly, now offering a wide range of services, including medical, surgical, outpatient care, and diagnostics for women and children, among others. Education and training are also vital components of the hospital’s mission. It provides nursing education, elective programs for foreign students, and training for clinical officers.
OUR VISIT IN OCTOBER 2024
In October 2024, Mwika’s team visited Machame Hospital at the request of Prof. Masenga, the director of KCMC. Along with Marangu Hospital and Karatu Hospital, Machame is part of a network of Lutheran hospitals in the Northern region of Tanzania, located near the border with Kenya.
During our visit to Machame, we identified several areas for improvement. In addition to some IT challenges, we were alarmed by unsafe power connections. What’s referred to as a “power box” here is simply a hole in the wall with cables twisted together and left hanging out.
Exposed high-voltage cables at chest height, concrete floors, and people walking around in slippers or barefoot create a serious safety risk. To make matters worse, there’s no earth leakage circuit breaker. We’ve reported these concerns to management and hope they’ll be addressed soon.
Looking ahead, a cabling contractor will be needed to resolve these issues next year.