Overview

The majority of the population in Zambia lives in rural areas (60%) and most of the families rely on subsistence farming. But rural Zambia lacks support in the sectors of health, agriculture and education. Furrer Foundation tries to tackle these circumstances with some of the following activities. Funding is granted by the Swiss Foundation Second Mile, other not-for-profit organizations and private donors.

Hospital (in Mpanshya)

Our focus is the practical training of various clinicians at the patient’s bedside and in the theatre.

Activities:

  • Support of MMed (specialisation) training of Dr. K. Chibuye in Cape Town SA. He served several years at Mpanshya Hospital and was mainly involved in the training of medical licentiates. His specialisation ends in 2019 and Mpanshya Hospital is preparing for his return as a surgeon. The Government has foreseen to upgrade Mpanshya Hospital into a Trauma Centre for the Great East Road (due to numerous RTAs), where Dr. Chibuye’s service will be highly needed. Dr. Chibuye confirmed his return to Mpanshya in 2019 and the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health expressed his support concerning Dr, Chibuye’s posting at Mpanshya.

Training of medical professionals

  • Nursing school Mpanshya, Lusaka Province

The Mpanshya School of Nursing and Midwifery was opened in 2009 as a pilot training program for Zambia with the so called Decentralized Practical Nursing Training(DPNT), following the WHO recommendations to train medical personnel for rural areas in rural settings. The usually small size of rural hospitals as training sites poses a challenge to practical exposure for relevant numbers of nurse students. Mpanshya is the center of the nursing school with classrooms for theory teaching, administration and dormitories. For their practical experience the trainees are attached to various neighbouring hospitals to optimise exposure and learning. Partner Hospitals are St. Luke’s Mission Hospital Mpanshya, Chongwe District Hospital, Katondwe Mission Hospital and Nyimba District Hospital.

  • Nursing school Kaoma, Western Province

Kaoma nursing school, the second of this same DPNT in Zambia is situated in the renovated former District Hospital of Kaoma and was opened in July 2016. The initiative for this Nusring School came from the local community in cooperation with their council and the District Health Management Team. Partner Hospitals are Kaoma District Hospital, Luampa Mission Hospital and Mangango Mission Hospital. Some of the hostels and classroom facilities are still under construction.

New classroom at Kaoma Nursing School

  • Health Centre Chamilala, Eastern Province

We support the development of Chamilala rural health centre in the neglected western area of Nyimba district. The aim is to use the facility as practical training place for rural attachments of nurse students from different nursing schools.

  • Mporokoso School of Nursing, Northern Province

Planning with the Mporokoso District Hospital Management and the Council Authorities has started with the aim to establish our third DPNT School in Zambia. First steps are very promising. Start of needed construction work is foreseen in May 2019 after the rainy season.

  • Zambezi School of Nursing

Planning of an additional DPNT Nursing School at Zambezi, North-Western Province, has commenced.

Zambezi River and flood plains at Zambesi, North-Western Province

  • Chikombedzi School of Nursing

First steps to introduce the same decentralized Practical Nurses training in Zimbabwe have been taken by Dr. Lea Schimper-Furrer at Chikombedzi Hospital, Chiredzi District, Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe.

Community Health Shop

Medical supply including drugs to rural health facilities is often insufficient and erratic to an extent that treatment of patients can be compromised. The pilot of this community health shop aims at providing essential drugs and medical material supplementary to the supply by medical stores at a not-for-profit rate in close cooperation with the district health authorities.  The building has been completed in the close neighbourhood of Mpanshya Hospital. New regulations from the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) foresee a new concept for pharmaceutical suppliers in rural areas named health shop. To meet the needs of the population in Mpanshya area concerning drug supply, we are at present negotiating with ZAMRA the so far too limited drug list foreseen for such a health shop.

Water supply Mpanshya

We have constructed a water catchment of a spring in Kamitowo hills and piped it 3km to Mpanshya for drinking water supply of hospital and other community projects (gravity fed). Unfortunately, the recent dry years in combination with continuous deforestation in the area for charcoal burning and cutting of precious woods for export have reduce the water yield from the catchment in Kamitowo. The main strategy of Furrer Foundation is to promote sustainable land use and resources management through activities of the community training farm.

Promotion of Mother and Child Health

  • Furrer Foundation is funding the construction of mother’s shelters and an extended veranda for under-5 clinic / antenatal clinic at Chimusanya Rural Health Centre, Rufunsa District, in close cooperation with the government – this has been completed early 2019. Main aim is to support women to give birth under safe circumstances at the facility, as the Ministry of Health will provide more staff to the health centre for 24/7-hour services.

New shelter at Chimusanya Health Post for waiting patients and teaching in the context of Under-5 and antenatal clinic

  • Renovation of existing mother’s shelter of Mpanshya Hospital, Rufunsa District, in close cooperation with the Hospital Administration: Fencing the whole area to protect waiting mothers and renewal of toilet and shower facilities – this has been completed by end of 2018.
  • Start of construction of a mother’s shelter at Chewe Health Post, Lunte District. The community contributes with burned bricks, sand collection and crashing of stones.