DGD-Foundation project for the further training/education of medical personnel in Rwanda

Deutscher Gemeinschafts Diakonieverband (DGD) is a German network of evangelical Christian groups, missionary institutions and various other initiatives. The organisationwas founded in 1899 and has more than 3000 employees. The DGD motto describes what is especially important to the organisation:

DANKBAR GOTT DIENEN

(Serve God with thankfulness)

Since 1959 the DGD has been involved in Rubengera, Rwanda working with a Rwandan evangelical sisterhood in the Northern province and in partnership with the Presbyterian church of Rwanda. This work was started by DGD missionary Evangelical sisters from Switzerland and the Netherlands.

In November 2008, a large group of German Healthcare Professionals under the leadership of Dr J Drechsel undertook a study tour of Rwanda with a view to ascertaining in what way, if any, the DGD network could involve itself in the Rwandan health system. This was in response to repeated calls for the DGD to get involved.

After making several fact finding trips to Rwanda to identify needs in health institutions DGD felt that they could:-

• Assist with health care improvement by assisting with training of doctors and other health care professionals
• Raise funds for essential equipment not available at Kibogora hospital and other institutions where DGD have partnerships.

The DGD team visited Kibogora and reported it as being a well managed Christian hospital with the potential and openness for cooperation.

We are very happy to report that Edelgard Meyke (Edi to those that know her) has been appointed as the liaison with the German speaking medics and the hospital doctors and management. Edi is a German nurse who spent 3 years working at Kibogora from 2004-2007 and who has made a number of short visits to the hospital since then. As well as being a very well qualified nurse Edi speaks the local Rwandan language as well as French and English so will be ideally placed to provide the support that the German medical staff requires. She will serve in Rwanda from 2012 and also assist Sheila Etherington.

• It is anticipated that four trips by medical teams from Europe per year will visit Kibogora. These teams will consist of medical specialists on short and medium term deployments, that is 7-90 days.
• Depending on availability and need, the initial deployments will concentrate on surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, anaesthesia, midwifery, nursing, medical technicians, care for the elderly and medical hygiene. Specialists in these fields will be recruited in Europe and elsewhere.
• Every effort will be made to coordinate the activities of international medical teams visiting Kibogora with the DGD’s program, so that where possible, everyone can work together to improve medical care at Kibogora.
• A tripartite memorandum of agreement is to be signed with Kibogora Hospital, the Free Methodist church of Rwanda and the DGD.