While so many things happened in 2020 and 2021, at Macha Mission Hospital construction was a constant. At the start of twenty-twenty we were operating in the same operating room, with the same cracks in the wall, as when I first visited in 2009. The big hole in the roof in the hall was new as were the termites which were eating away at the roof
So, we embarked on a “2-week” project which turned into a 2-month project replacing the roof on the old OT (Operating theater or operating room). The roofing team kept to their time schedule of 1 week off with the old and one week on with the new. What we didn’t count for was the destruction of the termites to the wall caps. These we needed to replaster and then repair and paint on the interior walls.
By the beginning of 2020 the shell of our new operating theater had been completed.
We first began by adding a dividing wall between the sterile area and the nurse’s station and recovery room. A nurse’s station was added followed by terrazzo floors and a dropped ceiling.
New windows were purchased and installed. The floors sealed and walls painted. 2 new OR lights and anesthesia machines donated by Samaritan’s Purse were installed and the new operating rooms were ready for use.
The new theater was dedicated to Dr John Spurrier for his many years of surgical and medical care to the people of Macha on Oct. 1 The following week Dr Spurrier was able to join me in doing the first operations in our new theater in Macha.
Oct 1st marked the opening of our new operating rooms, Mother’s shelter as well as our eye clinic and paediatric playroom which were already in use but had not been officially opened and dedicated in the previous years because of COVID. We were honored to hear from His Royal Highness Chief Macha as well as the guest of honor, the acting Permanent Secretary on behalf of the Minister of Health. While many promises were made for future support of the hospital including paving the road to the hospital, the best part was the testimony of God’s faithfulness and provision over the almost 70 years of the hospital’s existence. Dr Spurrier shared of the blessings of working with the wonderful staff and people at Macha and the difference the care at Macha Mission had made in so many lives.
Construction of the mother’s shelter above was also completed and dedicated October 1st. This new facility will house expecting mothers who come to Macha waiting to deliver. Many have to travel up to 4 hours to come to the hospital and need to arrive early to avoid complication. The post-natal ward allows for mother and child to be evaluated and cared for post-partum before making the long trip home.
completed mother’s shelter
In 2020, 3 new bore holes/wells were drilled at the hospital. In 2021 a new water tower was placed near the mother’s shelter to provide continuous water to the mother’s shelter, maternity and pediatric wards.
Work was also done to repair the filter bed for water coming from the dam to provide dam water to houses and the hospital to water gardens in the dry season. In 2022, we plan to connect the old dam water tank to 3 fresh water bore holes and improve the drinking water at the hospital and houses.
We thank the Lord for his many provisions and the opportunity to work on these many projects at Macha Hospital. We look forward this year to finalizing some of the upgrades on the water system as well as doing some major renovation to the medical wards.
To donate to these projects, go to:
Macha Mission Hospital Support
https://partnership.bicus.org/project/general-support-macha-mission-hospital/
Clean Water Macha Mission Hospital
https://partnership.bicus.org/project/clean-water-macha-mission-hospital/
Mark and Maggie BICWM 