Projects
Over the years, the partnership has funded the following:
Motorcycles
Due to the challenging terrain in and around the Shirati area, motorcycles are the most practical means of transportation for the team to get out to the remote villages to see their patients. WAWHO (We Are Women Helping Others) is a local group who has been a Shirati supporter for years. They have donated 6 motorcycles to the team. Wendy Weaver and the Montoursville Rotary have also donated motorcycles.
Palliative Care Training
Education is essential to the good work being done in Shirati. Dorothy was able to receive a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Palliative Care through Markarere University in Kampala, Uganda. Funding from our partnership has also provided additional training to other team members.
Bicycles
Volunteers (Huduma workers) in Shirati are the backbone of the palliative care team. They live in the villages among the patients that are served. The volunteers travel on foot to visit the patients, assess their needs, and communicate back to the team in the hospital. Through generous donations from the UPMC Susquehanna Breast Health Center, the partnership was able to purchase bicycles for the volunteers of the palliative care team to allow them to see more patients.
Dorothy’s PC Coordinator Salary
Early on one of the needs identified among the Shirati team was the need for an individual to be the dedicated Palliative Care Team Coordinator. For many years, the team members performed their daily hospital duties then palliative care was done above and beyond their regular jobs. The partnership was able to provided a yearly salary for Dorothy in order to make Palliative Care her primary responsibility.
Dr. Steve Biko showing oral morphine
Morphine Procurement
One of the most important things that our partnership funds is the purchase of medications. This includes medications to help manage diabetes, hypertension, constipation, and pain. Shirati Hospital is fortunate to be licensed and able to purchase morphine to provide to patients with severe pain. Many hospitals, especially those in rural areas in Tanzania do not have this luxury.
To obtain the morphine, Dorothy must travel to Dar es Salaam, the largest city in the country located almost 900 miles away. Several times a year, Dorothy takes the hospital and pharmacy documentation and rides a bus for 20+ hours over poorly maintained roads. She stays in Dar es Salaam and collects the morphine, which is distributed in liter containers, and takes the bus 20+ hours back. There are strict limits on how much morphine is allowed and who is able to provide it. The Shirati team is diligent at working to make sure their patients have adequate pain control while abiding by the national regulations.