Tanzania hospital receives upgrade

The Buganda medical center in Tanzania received cardiac care equipment and bed side monitors that were donated by General Electric. It was a team effort of Rotary International members, Salinas Valley Hospital staff, GE assistants and Assist International.

“It was pretty phenomenal to see what was done,” said Sam Downing, president of Salinas Valley Hospital. “All the monitors were installed and ready to go in one week. It would take four months to do that in the United States.”

Patients at Buganda medical center do not share the same luxuries as patients do in the U.S. The sickest ones receive a bed and maybe a single blanket. In all, 25 volunteers worked around the clock to do everything from install the new monitors to repainting rooms. The end result was a first class intensive care unit.

“When you do a project in a place like this, you want to do it quickly because you know it will save lives,” stated Bob Pagett of Assist International. “We want to provide the people and the children of this country with a chance to live a normal life.”