MissionHouse

Dear Board of Stitching Foundation MissionHouse of The Gambia

Kindly see this memo on The Helping Hands Specialist Hospital.

Opening of the Hospital

The Helping Hands Specialist Hospital was officially commissioned on the 17th of November 2018. This is shown in the picture below:

Commissioned on the 17th November 2018

Why the name The Helping Hands Specialist Hospital? The hospital was built by many helping hands from you and around the world. You raised funds by different methods, your personal savings, from your family members, school children and your community, selling cards, walks and different fund raising activities. The money raised were delivered and used for the purposes, even when I was no there by trusted many helping hands. Many unknown people, children and adults helped. Even Medics (Stichting) nl. offered help in suppling ultrasound machines! And of course the Good God that is continually giving HIS helping hands. Some people thought, ooh, the name sounds like a philanthropic foundation and people may be expecting free Medicare and might not want to pay. I though over this and made many efforts to get another name, but there was no peace in my heart until I reverted back to The Helping Hands Specialist Hospital! which have come to stay. Thanks for all your Helping Hands across the Ocean to build this hospital. The hospital logo is actually obtained from your Stitching Foundation logo.

Through this provided fund these followings have been achieved

1. Building the hospital and security house from the beginning to the end. The foundation of the hospital was laid in 2012.

2. Also through the provided fund, these were achieved

                              (a)Borehole and water carrier and water tanks

                    (b) Electrical and fittings

                    (c) Tiles

                    (d) Beds, mattresses, pillows

(e) Equipment- Anaesthestic, Xray, Ultrasound machines, Operating table and theatre equipment, autoclaves

(f) Doors and furniture

(g) Solar and inverter and petrol powered generator

(i) concrete floor around the hospital

( j) Painting of the hospital

Personnel:

We have commenced treatment of patients in the hospital and glad to tell you that we are raising a committed staff that is headed by a Retired Matron who is the Hospital Manager and she is selflessly managing the hospital. There are 4 nurses, 1 security and 1 utility officer. There is also a 24hour coverage by a doctor. The number of staff and personnel will be increased as we get more patients

Patients

We have managed 42 patients up-to- date:

13 males and 29 females

Paediatric 3 and Adults 39

3 Surgeries comprising of 2 appendectomies (removal of inflamed appendix) and fixing a fractured bone.

The THHSH is serving the purpose that is meant for, one of the appendix surgery was on my cousin in the village who would have died. He was being treated for a wrong diagnosis at the village and would not have been able to afford the cost of the surgery. From my purse I paid subsidized treatment fee to the account of the Hospital.

The hospital has also benefited the community because of the diverse cases treated among the community, some of them presenting at the middle of the nights.

Revenue Generated and Expenditure

There is slow turn out of patients and this has made the expenditure (mainly on the staff salary and minor maintainces ) to be significantly more than the Revenue generated so far. In fact I am presently paying the staff salary from my personal purse. We are not discouraged by this because we know it will get better and we are happy that some lives are been touched positively.

To improve the patronage and getting more patients,

(i) we have commenced writing neighboring schools to partner with us so that we can provide medicare for their students and staff.

(ii) Also we have applied to the NHIS (National Insurance) to get approval to manage Federal workers who are many around us like National Prison workers, National Civil Defence etc

Future Needs

There are few things that will make the running of the hospital smoother and more effective:

1. A 20KVA diesel powered generation that will be needed to power the X ray machine and a big Autoclave (these cannot be powered by the petrol powered generator) This cost of this diesel generator is 3000.00 Euro

2. The X-ray room has to be Lead lined to prevent emission of rays outside the X-ray room. The cost of this Lead lining is about 2000.00 Euro

On 1st of February, 2019 a sum of 4500.00 Euro was transferred from Stitching Foundation MissionHouse of The Gambia and already received which will be spent on the above two. I am presently trying to get a good price for No 1 and then will do No 2

3. Additionally, there is 1200 Euro balance to be paid on the Anaethestic machine after making down payment.

4. There is a need for good supportive Laboratory which will include, Haemtology (blood) Analyzer which cost about 7500 Euro.

Furniture for the laboratory office has been made as can be seen in the picture bel

5. A utility vehicle will be required soon by the time we have increase turn out of patients

The plan is for the hospital to be self-sustaining so that we will soon drastically reduced or stop making request from you (but gladly take donations from you.)

Your immerse contributions are deeply valued and appreciated

Dr. Johnson Dare Ogunlusi

On Behalf of THHSH

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