In the Konde Diocese the church serves not only the spiritual needs of its members but is also heavily involved in other important parts of people’s lives. Medical care is one of those areas. Since there are no public hospitals in the Konde Diocese people depend on church-sponsored hospitals and health clinics. The Lower Susquehanna Synod is primarily working to support the ministry of Itete Hospital as well as providing general medical needs support to the Matema Hospital and the Tukuyu Health Clinic.

The Konde Diocese Medical Needs Task Force currently has four major goals:

  • To establish good communication;

  • To raise money in the Lower Susquehanna Synod that can be sent to the Konde Diocese so that much needed medical equipment and supplies may be purchased;

  • To work with our international partner churches, who also have companion relationships with the Konde Diocese, in providing coordinated support in the health care field;

  • To look for opportunities for people from the Lower Susquehanna Synod with medical skills to travel to the Konde Diocese to offer first hand assistance.

To contact the synod’s Medical Needs Task Force you may also contact Pastor Clifton Eshbach at ceshbach@hotmail.com; Pastor Beth Martini at 717-652-1852, ext. 102, by email bmartini@lss-elca.org, or Pastor Angie Hammer at hammerangel9@gmail.com

What Your Support Can Provide

At regular intervals, funds contributed by congregations and individuals are wired to the Konde Diocese. Many of these gifts are designated for the medical needs. The list below can provide some guidance as to how your gift can be effectively used. Another important use of our gifts is for the purchase of medications which are used at the hospitals and health clinics. It costs approximately $2,000 (US Dollars) a month, per hospital, to supply basic medications and supplies.

The following are examples of other types of supplies needed and their approximate cost in US dollars:

  • $50 will purchase a wheelchair

  • $75 will purchase a hospital bed

  • $5 will provide oral re-hydration fluid for a child

  • $20 will treat a broken forearm or leg

  • $25 will purchase mosquito netting

  • $50 will pay for an appendectomy

  • $300 provides a one-year supply of AIDS drugs

Gifts for medical needs may be designated by referring to the account number 8181, KOD Medical Needs, or the account number 8167 for Itete Hospital.