Mount Meru Foundation

The Mount Meru Foundation is committed to improving mother and child care in Afrika

Summary annual report 2020

In 2020, the Mount Meru Foundation (SMM), in addition to monitoring current projects, conducted research into setting up new projects. Due to the corona crisis, there was no room for development in Tanzania and no working visit could take place. This has had an effect on the progress of our projects.

The “Mamabus” project in Lower Moshi set up by the Driving Nurses Foundation (SDN) has been expanded by SMM with ultrasound and an ultrasound machine. Last year we were able to monitor and guide progress in this regard.

In collaboration with SDN and following the example of the project in Lower Moshi, a start was made in 2019 on a second “Mamabus” project in the Karatu region. Preparatory talks about this started at the end of 2019, but the corona crisis has hindered progress in 2020.

In 2020 SMM had one selected candidate follow and complete an ultrasound training. A month of hands-on training was also facilitated by SMM. The graduated ultrasound technician will be accompanied by SMM from the Netherlands by members of the SMM for another 2 years. She works in the Himo region.

The ultrasound technicians who graduated in 2019 were guided by SMM from the Netherlands and will be followed up and trained from the Netherlands by members of the SMM in the coming year. In the Karatu Health Center, one of the ultrasound technicians who graduated in 2019 started making ultrasounds in 2020.

Mount Meru Hospital named its Radiology Department the Best Performing Department of 2020 thanks to the Mindray ultrasound machine donated by the Mount Meru Foundation in 2017.
Thanks to the equipment, the knowledge and the possibility of making specialist ultrasounds, the department attracts patients from afar.
Currently, the department performs about 450 ultrasounds per month.

A request for a mobile ultrasound machine has come from both Himo and Karatu.

Explanation Activities 2020

Project Lower Moshi- Northern Tanzania

The Driving Nurses Foundation and SMM collaborated to implement pregnancy checks and ultrasound on the Mamabus in the Lower Moshi region, also known as the Mamabus 2.0. The TPC Hospital in Moshi, with which there are good contacts, also provides a qualified nurse / midwife for the mamabus. Part of the antenatal care can be funded by the Tanzanian government and is universally provided to all pregnant women in Tanzania. In 2019 SMM was able to offer Veronika Tarimo, a nurse from the TPC Hospital, the opportunity to follow the ultrasound training in Moshi. Veronika is now authorized and able to perform the ultrasounds on the Mamabus. The Philips Lumify (ultrasound machine) is on loan for mother and child care for the Mamabus.

Project “Adopt an ultrasound technician”

In 2019 we started the project “Adopt an ultrasound technician”. The total costs for the training of 3 months at the KCMC, accommodation and a fourth internship month amount to 1000 euros per candidate / ultrasound technician. In 2020 one candidate will have obtained an ultrasound certificate thanks to SMM. The recruitment and selection for new candidates has paid off, there are already 6 candidates on the waiting list for the ultrasound training.

Karatu Health center

A new ultrasound machine arrived at the Karatu Health Center at the end of 2019. This device has been donated by “Wombs of the World”. One of the ultrasound technicians trained by us, Dr. Wilson Simpa, can now independently perform ultrasounds here.

From mid-January 2020, Dr. Wilson Simpa has started offering obstetric ultrasounds at the Karatu Health Center. This is the result of a great collaboration. The Mount Meru Foundation has trained Dr. Wilson Simpa, the Wombs of the World Foundation has donated the device and the Karatu Health Center is responsible for the consumption and personnel costs.

Sponsorship

In 2019, SMM also started a packaging campaign at large supermarkets throughout the country. This promotion generated almost € 2000 in 2020. on. The promotion will continue in 2021. Furthermore, SMM was allowed to receive birthday money and other gifts again in 2020.