The Clinic is Nearing Completion

Three years in the making and hours of labor havare resulting in a clinic/hospital for Hope Africa University.  Located across the street from the main campus, the facility will serve as a training site for nursing and medical students studying at the University. We look forward to participating in the formal dedication of this new clinic/hospital on place February 27, 2012.

The project began as a one story maternal-pediatric clinic but has been transformed into a two building, two story, grand facility. The buildings have attractive brown brick exterior with metal rust colored roofs. One building is nearly completed. It includes a delivery suite and an operating theater, pharmacy, clinical laboratory, x-ray suite, conference room, examination rooms, and two or three patient wards.

At this time, the interior of one building is painted, has electricity, and tiled floors throughout. Most of the doors and windows are installed. The exact use of the space is still to be decided. How and when those decisions are made remains a mystery to us.

The medical equipment that arrived in February 2011 has been stored on campus for the past year. This week we got into the rooms unlocked and checked the contents. There was thick dust and sand everywhere, but all the equipment seemed to be intact. The logistics of transferring this sensitive, large and heavy medical equipment to the new building present our next challenge. Two capable engineers from the US will be available soon to install the electrical medical equipment during the next several weeks before the dedication event.

The second two story building presently is the focus of much effort toward completion. There are many workers focused on all aspects of construction—plastering, wiring, and constructing a huge stairway/ramp to the upper story. Both buildings are also the focus for plumbing--which is installed after the walls are plastered and painted. They are then cut/routed out to insert the plumbing for sinks and showers and toilets. It is a relief to witness the installation of hand washing facilities for this hospital/clinic.

Already, plans are in place for students to rotate through this facility for their clinical experience. The students in the Masters of Nursing Program are working on planning the Nursing aspects relevant for managing this new facility. We watch the development of this significant undertaking with significant interest.