Some background information about Mutomo

Mutomo is a small town (2.000 inhabitants) in southeast , located 250 km from . The hospital was founded in 1962 by the monastic order Sisters of Mercy from Ireland. The congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Kenya, is since 2001 the administrator of the hospital. Mutomo is a small administrative centre with police, schools, and the hospital with about 100 employees. The area is "semi-desert" and vegetation is dependent on if there is enough rain during the rainy season (March-April and Nov-Dec). Some years there is no rain at all. Farmers grow their staple food, maize, beans and some sorghum. They might also have som goats, chicken and some have cows. There are mostly subsistent framers that can sell a little when it grows well. Sometimes family members are working in Nairobi or . It is a poor area.

The hospital is private and receives no money from the state. It is dependent on donations. Through the Ministry of Health it receives vaccines, tests and medications against HIV, STDs and TB. Care, tests, treatment and other medications are paid by the patients. Prices are low even by Kenyan standards, but for the population it is still difficult to bear those costs. The hospital has a take-up area on app.100.000 people, half are under 15.

Administrative Management Sr. Mary Okumu

Structure General Ward: 60 seats, divided into medical and surgical section. Pediatric ward: 30 Maternity: 26 Out patient department (OPD) from here too long-term treatment of TB Mother and Child Health (MCH) Home Care Team (HCT) for HIV and AIDS pat. Chief doctor: Dr. John Amollo, Anita McTernan, from Ireland, leaders of AIDS information programme, South Distr. Clinical officer, laboratory staff, nurses, attendants.

Schedule Work hours from 8 - 17, six days a week. "Morning prayers" for clinical officers and physicians which is a review of admissions and problems. First call has clinical officers and is therefore available 2 days a week. On call are also those that can do cesarean. Medical records are handwritten.

Shopping Much can now be purchased in Mutomo, but most doctors and dentists buy food stuff in Nairobi on arrival, such as frozen meat, coffee, a large pack of toilet paper, whole meal, pasta, dry milk, fruits, vegetables. Bananas and tomatoes, zukuma wiki (a kind of spinach) always tend to be available in Mutomo. If other fruit and vegetables are available depends on the season. No refridgerated or frozen food is available. Celina bakes, so bring dry yeast from Sweden. There is only very thin sliced white bread in Mutomo. Good beer and milk with long shelf life is available.

Water The water supply is rainwater from hospital ceilings pumped in large cement tanks up the hill. Good after boiling and filtering. The sun provides hot water to the shower in the afternoon But one should keep in mind that nobody knows when the next time will be proper rainfall. Ask how to save water.

1