Medical and educational equipment
Ethiopia Link has provided a number of items of equipment for medical purposes in Hossana hospital, and also for educational activities in the hospital and the next door Institute for Health Sciences. Sometimes we have had equipment donated from UK firms, or made available at cost price or lower. Other equipment we have bought ourselves and taken out to Hossana. Any equipment taken out is discussed with staff in Hossana to ensure that it is needed, and is appropriate. Ethiopian airways have generous baggage allowance, and have regularly allowed us to take individual heavy items such as concentrators.
Examples of some of the many items of equipment taken across are shown below.
Examples of some of the many items of equipment taken across are shown below.
Oxygen concentrators
Sick patients often need supplementary oxygen, and Hossana has no shortage of sick patients. Ethiopia Link has taken across 6 oxygen concentrators - all as hold luggage with Ethiopian airlines! They are particularly useful for Hossana as they are effective in delivering supplementary oxygen, and are simple to use, robust and practical. Maintenance is limited to cleaning filters. Provided there is an electrical supply, they are always available and never run out. Impressively, they can be used for more than one patient at a time in the paediatric wards.
Without oxygen concentrators there is only one way of getting supplementary oxygen to patients in Hossana - and that involves a 270 km return journey to Addis Ababa to get new cylinders in the hospital pick up truck.
So oxygen concentrators are effective and appropriate technology; we are grateful to the UK companies that have supplied us with re-conditioned units at discounted price to take out to Hossana.
Without oxygen concentrators there is only one way of getting supplementary oxygen to patients in Hossana - and that involves a 270 km return journey to Addis Ababa to get new cylinders in the hospital pick up truck.
So oxygen concentrators are effective and appropriate technology; we are grateful to the UK companies that have supplied us with re-conditioned units at discounted price to take out to Hossana.
Pulse oximeters
These are crucial pieces of equipment to monitor the oxygen levels in patients - if the levels are low, supplemental oxygen is needed. We have taken across three Nellcor oximeters, and two Lifebox portable oximeters. These are used in the wards and in theatre to monitor the patients' condition.
With Hossana at a significant altitude, allowance needs to be made for normal values there. |
Theatre Monitor
Ethiopia Link has taken across a theatre monitor to assist the anaesthetists there. Before having this equipment, the anaesthetist would only be able to judge the patient's condition by feeling the pulse and looking at his/her colour. Now the pulse is displayed on a continuous trace, along with oxygen saturation, temperature and intermittent blood pressure monitoring.
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Theatre suction unit
The suction units in theatres in Hossana have been out of action for some time. Ethiopia Link purchased a new unit and took it out to Hossana.
However, getting new filters across has been an issue! |
Hats for babies
Dr Lamesginew in Hossana, aided by teaching and funding support from VSO, has established a neonatal unit in the hospital for sick newborn infants.
Local ladies groups in North Wales heard of this and knitted a huge array of brightly coloured and warm hats, shown here by the proud grandmother of a new set of twins |
ULTRASOUND SCANNER
The hospital management committee in Hossana asked us to supply a new ultrasound scanner as theirs was old and poorly functioning. A new ultrasound scanner is an extremely expensive item of equipment. However, a Toshiba Xario scanner was due to be replaced in Glan Clwyd hospital, yet had been kept in perfect working order by EBME in Glan Clwyd hospital. Instead of sending the scanner to the medical auction house, which is the usual practice, the Health Board allowed us to purchase the scanner at an equivalent price to that expected from the auction house. It is a large and heavy scanner, so a sturdy box was constructed, and the scanner was shipped out to Hossana by DHL at charity rates, with due attention to customs requirements in place.
Once it Hossana, it was installed in the ultrasound room, and was none the worse for its travels. In spring 2014, Rachael Davies from ultrasound in Glan Clwyd, joined the visit party, and spent a week ensuring that the staff in the ultrasound department fully understood the working of the machine and how to get the best from it. It is heavily used and has proved a great example of appropriate and useful technology.
The hospital management committee in Hossana asked us to supply a new ultrasound scanner as theirs was old and poorly functioning. A new ultrasound scanner is an extremely expensive item of equipment. However, a Toshiba Xario scanner was due to be replaced in Glan Clwyd hospital, yet had been kept in perfect working order by EBME in Glan Clwyd hospital. Instead of sending the scanner to the medical auction house, which is the usual practice, the Health Board allowed us to purchase the scanner at an equivalent price to that expected from the auction house. It is a large and heavy scanner, so a sturdy box was constructed, and the scanner was shipped out to Hossana by DHL at charity rates, with due attention to customs requirements in place.
Once it Hossana, it was installed in the ultrasound room, and was none the worse for its travels. In spring 2014, Rachael Davies from ultrasound in Glan Clwyd, joined the visit party, and spent a week ensuring that the staff in the ultrasound department fully understood the working of the machine and how to get the best from it. It is heavily used and has proved a great example of appropriate and useful technology.
