Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
ce to all, the population and the authorities. This is a small town located at 3 degrees latitude below the equator, 900 meters above sea level, with 50,000 residents and in full expansion. The land is located along the road (a rare privilege in the Congo) that goes to Uvira, the main town in the region of the South Kivu region. Currently, the nearest hospital is 75 km away in Uvira (about 90 minutes by car). The other is in Nyangezi, 35 km, but it is difficult to reach because the road is a mule track. The majority of the citizens of the area surrounding Kamanyola will attend this new hospital.
According to the World Health Organization standards, there should be 100 beds, but you can easily get to 150, says Fr. Bortignon. It is expected that maternity and surgery will be the two pavilions with the most work, as is the case in most hospitals in the region. The hospital, while it awaits electricity, will have a large central generator and generator sets for the various smaller pavilions. There will also be two large tanks of water because the water supply is not constant.
For security reasons, all the land is protected by a wall. The halls are still under construction and are located on an area of over one hectare. The masonry work will end in July 2010. The hospital includes a central block with various clinics, laboratories, emergency room, and offices...There is also the surgery block, the block of three internal medicine wards for men, women, and children, a section for x-rays and ultrasound, the maternity and gynecology ward, the section with four small apartments, a section for visiting physicians, the mortuary, a chapel, kitchen, and laundry area.
"All the sections are connected by covered walkways,” says Fr. Bortignon. “Outside the wall of the hospital will be the home for the Director and Assistant Director, and the house for the community of sisters who will manage the hospital. There will also be 5 acres of land for agricultural crops (peanuts, maize, cassava, soy plant, beans, peas, legumes), and another 10 hectares to be cultivated to help self-financing of the hospital, available to the families of hospital staff and the sisters. The construction is entrusted to a company of Burundi, but with staff from the town of Kamanyola. The activities are monitored on site by an Italian volunteer already working as a lay missionary in those areas. The hospital, although owned by the Diocese of Uvira, will be officially accepted as a hospital under the Ministry of Health. (AP/FB) (18/12/2009 Agenzia Fides)
