MT MERU HOSPITAL

At present the hospital has a bed capacity of 450 beds. There are several clinical departments which include:-

According to the Healthcare delivery system of Tanzania, this hospital is a 2^nd level referral hospital. It serves 18 other smaller district hospitals scattered all over the region.

Human Resource:

There are 4 specialist doctors; 1 Internist, 1 Surgeon, 1 Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, 1 Public Health Specialist and 1 Clinical Psychologist. There are also 9 Medical Officers (or GPs) and 15 Assistant Medical Officers. 3 of the GPs are currently undergoing postgraduate training and are in different stages of completion. 2 of them will graduate in Paediatrics after one year from now and the other one will graduate in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

There are 48 Nursing Officers, 57 Nurse/Midwives, 8 Trained Nurses, 3 Public Health Nurses and about 120 Nursing Assistants or Nursing Attendants. There are also several supporting staff. In total there are 430 staff employed.

2 qualified Pharmacists assisted by 1 Pharmaceutical Technician and 3 Pharmacy attendants manage the hospital pharmacy that is reasonably well stocked.

For the past 8 years now, this hospital has served as the WHO training station for Anglophone African Countries, for the IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses) strategy. It is also expected that it will, beginning this year, be a hospital for training Medical Students who are in their clinical years for the University of Dar es Salaam, as well as receive Intern doctors.

It has once received nursing students from the University of Bergen as an exchange programme, but due to financial constraints, this has not continued. We continue however to receive students from the US who are in their premed studies.

Ownership and Financing:

The hospital is a public institution, i.e. fully owned by the government. Major financing comes from the central government, from its annual budget. Other sources of financing include a cost sharing scheme, the National Health Insurance Fund, and a scheme known as the Basket Fund. The latter is a 35% allocation from the Municipal Council since this hospital also serves as the Council Hospital for this Municipality. The central government pays for all staff emoluments.

Services:

Out-patients (2002):
New cases:   Males 7021,         Females 8681,       Total 15,702
Return cases: Males 4634,         Females 6306        Total  10,940

In-patients (2002):
Males 7686,           Females 19,413,              Total  27100

Average daily admissions:
Males 21,              Females  53.2                  Total   74.2

Average length of stay (days):
Males 5.5,             Females 3.7,                    Total   4.1

Average Daily in-patient census:
Males 121.6,          Females 182.5,                Total 304.1

Deaths:
Males 654,             Females  561                   Total  1215

Bed occupancy rate (%)
Males 33.2,           Females 49.8,                  Total  82

Deliveries:
Total number of all deliveries:         9,545.   1270 of  these were Caesarean sections.

TOP 10 OUT-PATIENT DIAGNOSES (<5YRS):
1.     Malaria                                     21.4%
2.     Minor surgical conditions           14.8%
3.     Acute respiratory infections       14.3%
4.     Pneumonia                                13.9%
5.     Non-infectious eye conditions   10.6%
6.     Diarrhoeal diseases                   6.4%
7.     Urinary Tract Infections            6.2%
8.     Skin Infections                          4.6%
9.     Intestinal worms                        4.4%
10.    Eye Infections                         3.4%

TOP 10 OUT-PATIENT DIAGNOSES ( >5 YRS):
1.     Malaria                                          16%
2.     Emergency oral care                      14.7%
3.     Dental caries                                  13%
4.     Minor surgical conditions               11.6%
5.     Acute respiratory infections            10.3%
6.     Pneumonia                                    8.5%
7.     Diabetes mellitus                            7.1%
8.     Non-infectious eye conditions        7.0%
9.     Eye infections                                6.3%
10.    Urinary Tract Infections                5.5%

Operating theatre

The Hospital has three operating theatres, the major, an obstetrical theatre and an ophthalmic theatre. Most surgical conditions can be dealt with while most common obstetrical and gynaecological conditions can also be operated upon. In the year 2002, a total of 2588 patients were operated upon. Of these 85 were major general surgery conditions while 1577 were obstetrical and gynaecological conditions. 926 minor operations were done.

Other services

Other services offered in this hospital include diagnostics, i.e. radiology and general laboratory. A blood bank is also available in the general laboratory. Ordinary and contrast radiological studies as well as ultrasound studies can be done in the radiology department.
Dental services are available headed by a Dental Surgeon.
Rehabilitative services are headed by a Physiotherapist, on both out-patient and in-patient basis.
Mental services are provided by our mental health department. This unit is headed by a nurse specialized in mental health. The unit collaborates with a Non-governmental organization headed by a Clinical Psychologist. Both inpatient and outpatient services are offered. There is also a regular outreach programme from this department.
Ophthalmic and Optometric services are also provided from the hospital.

Mortuary services:

The hospital owns a new mortuary with a capacity of storing 48 bodies at any one time. The hospital has ceased to run the morgue as was the case in the past, and has now contracted this service out to a private company. However, for patients who die in the hospital, the latter has direct access for storage purposes.