(The Capuchin, Autumn 1987, pp.5-6)
‘There’s always something new out of Africa,’ wrote the Roman historian, Pliny. People in Europe are accustomed to hearing of corruption, coups, famine and war in Africa, so that it may come as news to hear of hard work, care and a cheery optimism that’s not daunted by obstacles.
The mission at Sioma in the Western province of Zambia is a place where this reversal of the usual is commonplace. A small rural health centre, run by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa, based at Mount Oliver near Dundalk, cares for about 23,000 people. Sisters Julia and Nora, together with a Zambian staff of ten nurses and helpers, work daily miracles of care and economy.
Trojan Work
Try to imagine caring for a premature baby, weighing a little over two pounds, without an incubator or any kind of specialized equipment. Such births are not uncommon, and nearly all pull through. Last year there were premature triplets, all of them so far lively and healthy. About 120 babies were born at the centre in 1986. Ante- and post-natal clinics catered for 2,750 women in the same year.
The out-patients clinic provided nursing care for 34,000 people. Most problems are not serious but demand a lot of time and attention. Malaria is very common in the rainy season, and resistance to chloroquin, the usual form of treatment, is increasing. Inadequate diet contributes to people’s health problems, as well as slowing the rate of recovery. Leprosy and TB patients have their own special needs.
A lot of work is put into preventative medicine. Last year, immunization programmes were held in 7 centres to provide protection against polio, measles, TB, diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus. Two hundred villages were visited, and talks were given to the people about sanitation, hygiene and nutrition.
Moments of Drama
There are moments of drama, as when a man was brought in with a piece torn from his thigh by a crocodile. He was saved by a woman who engaged the croc in a tug-of-war, and helped him to tear his leg free. He survived and is now back in his own village. Refugee relief work has to be planned on the basis of which roads have land-mines and which haven’t, and you just hope you get it right. To make a mistake would be an uplifting experience! It is one case where ‘Go n-éirigh an bóthar leat’ would not be an expression of goodwill.
Dedicated Work
Sister Julia from Meath, and Sister Nora from Limerick are supported in their work by two other sisters who have spent the greater part of their lives in Africa. Sister Hilda from Wexford came to Africa in 1936, and worked in Uganda until the early seventies before coming to Zambia. She is involved in work with local women, especially in sewing clubs and other forms of social development. Sister Michael from Roscommon looks after the convent, its fruit and vegetable gardens, and poultry unit. It’s a partnership of young and old, and benefits both.
The Zambian staff of the clinic plays its full part in the work. Indeed, very little could be done without them. The people of Zambia look to them to provide for their future needs, and to carry on the work begun by the sisters.
Practical Problems
One of the biggest practical problems is trying to make ends meet. The government gives a grant for only 8 of the 15 beds. A block grant is given for salaries, medicines and transport together. Neither is in any way adequate for the present, much less the future needs of the people in the area. The local people are not in a position to offer significant help, so it must be sought from overseas, principally from Ireland and the United States. Contributors can be assured that their help is well used. Their money has a direct and measurable impact on work in the rural health centre; it saves lives. It does not go to feather the nest of bureaucrats. The distance between donor and recipient is often long and obscure; it goes through many channels, some of them leaky and unreliable. Money given to the sisters goes directly to the project, without reduction.
In a world of givers and takers, the sisters are givers. But they’ve got to have something to give. That’s where they’re asking us to be givers, too.