Burundi
KIBUYE HOSPITAL
BURUNDI
Kibuye Hospital was founded in 1946 by Dr. Esther Kuhn. It is now an 82 bed general hospital in a population area of 250,000 people. There are 10 health centers that refer to Kibuye and have radio contact with the hospital for service by the ambulance. It is a rural hospital but served by a paved road 100 miles from the capitol of Bujumbura. Hope Africa University (HAU) in Bujumbura has established a Health Sciences division for training nurses and doctors called The Frank Ogden Medical School. It is named after long time missionary surgeon Dr Frank Ogden, now retired. Kibuye Hospital is one of three teaching hospitals for the HAU medical school. Both the university in Bujumbura and the hospital are needing health professionals to teach and serve in both locations. Service for any length of time will be appreciated. Contact Gerald Bates at batesgerald@sbcglobal.net
In addition to general medical services Kibuye Hospital has a program of outreach into the community to help the handicapped (particularly the blind); a child survival program run by World Relief; and a small factory that produces a high protein cereal to prevent and treat malnutrition.
A note for those volunteering to serve in Burundi: The main campus of HAU is in Bujumbura on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Visitors can avail themselves to many services of large cities of the world. Kibuye Hospital is in a rural setting in the mountains at 6000 ft, so even though situated 4 degrees south of the equator in Central Africa it has ideal summer type weather all the time & low humidity. Kibuye now has hydroelectric power as well as solar and generator power. Very adequate housing and transportation are available for visitors. The 2nd largest city in Burundi, Gitega, is only 20 miles away.
Photos: New Medical Student Dormitory at Kibuye Hospital in Burundi (below)
Photos: New Medical Student Dormitory at Kibuye Hospital in Burundi (below)
dorm construction Dr. Frank Ogden observing
trusses on their way first piece of roofing