History of Mukaro Mission Clinic

The beginnings of the clinic go back as far as 1945 as the need for medical help to the local community was recognized and a simple Dispensary, housed in a hut, was established by the Strahlfelder Dominicans. In 1948, an application for “Grant in Aid” was send to the clinic by the Health Department stating that “you will note that grants are only payable to missionary societies in respect of medical missions which are under the continuity superintendence of qualified stuff, engaged in bona fide medical work amongst natives and offering medical facilities regardless of ability to pay to natives in their area seeking treatment…” .

In the monthly returns for the month of September 1959 it is still refered to as “Mukaro Mission Dispensary”, having 2 African Nurse Aids employed. According to the available records Sr Joan Edmonds O.P took up the duty as a nurse at the clinic on 15/01/1957 as Sr Malbrecht O.P who worked at the clinic since 1948 and Sr Gualberta O.P LEFT. Also Sr Praedicanta O.P was working at the clinic until 1958. Sr Edmonds O.P worked at the clinic until 31/ 10/1958 and was replaced by Sr Victoria Reggel O.P. on the 01/ 11/1958 Nurse E . Sakina was appointed as Nurse Assistant.

Sr V. Reggel O.P was replaced by Nurse Elizaberth Chirume, who ran the clinic until the 1/06/1963. Miss Anne Bucher took charge of the clinic until the 19/11/1963, when she went on home leave and was replaced by Miss Elizarberth Wuerms, who worked at the clinic from the 19/11/1963 untill 02/04/1964.Miss Anne Bucher was in charge of the clinic from 1963-1966, she was a trained General Nurse and Midwife. Rev. Fr Reich was superintendent of the Mission during the years 1960-1963. As there was no immediate replacement for Nurse A. Bucher who left on the 22/05/1966 for Switzerland, Fr. Loher says the following, “ I wish to inform you as from June 1966 you no longer come under the “Aided Missions” owing to the fact that there vis no qualified stuff at your mission”. Therefore the account will be payment in full until ‘… On the 12/02/1965 in a letter to the Government Medical Officer in Umvuma, Fr Loher requests that the clinic should be visited regularly by a Doctor as there are a great number of in-patients ant out-patients as well.

From May 1966 to 1967 Nurse Patricia Tsapi was acting as Nurse in charge of the clinic but left the clinic on the 30/06/1967. In the year 1967 the number of approved beds in the clinic was 20. There is no evidence in the files, when the former dispensary received its status as a clinic. On the 12/08/1968 Sr Deodata Schiffer a Holy Cross Sister took charge of the clinic. She was qualified as a general Nurse and midwife. As another qualified person was again employed at the clinic, the Government Grant was paid again.

On the 02/01/1969 Fr Loher wrote to the MIVA an Austrian Mission Organization, asking for a car for Sr Deodata in order to carry out her heavy work load in the district. A Volkswagen was donated. In 1969 two Nurse Aids were working at the clinic. In 1969 Dr Brown from Driefontein Mission Hospital was the visiting doctor to Mukaro Clinic. In 1970 a better water supply was established at the Mission which also benefitted the clinic. A new sanitation block was built as well for the patience. The new reservoir tank held 1000 Gallons of water.

The sanitation block for females and males is water borne; it also contains showers for the patients, as well as a separate toilet for the Stuff with a shower. Re-Assessment of the clinic- upgrading its services was undertaken in 1969. Sr Deodata Schiffer left Mukaro on the 28/ 12/ 1970 in order to work at Bondolfi Mission Clinic. Sr Gonzaga von Walderdorff. Also a Holy Cross Sister came during 1970 to work at the clinic as a midwife. Sister G von Walderdorff too was a qualified General nurse and midwife having done her training partly in German and partly in South Africa. She was in charge of the clinic from 1970-1971.

In a letter to the Ministry of Health dated 27/05/1971, it was made clear to the mission superior ( Sister- in charge) that the approval of the Mission Clinic would be taken away, if there was not a trained general nurse (not just a midwife) because Sr G.v Walderdorf’s training in Germany was not directly recognized. On the 01/07/1971 Nurse Fadzai Munyaradzi a fully qualified general nurse and midwife took up duties at Mukaro Clinic as Sister in charge. As can be seen, there was a continuous staff turnover at the clinic which can be used as isolation wards for measles, whooping cough mumps etc., both having separated outside entrances. But there are no separate toilets and washrooms nor laundry for infectious cases. These facilities are shared with non- infected patients. Serious infectious cases TB or Typhoid are not accepted but referred to Gutu Mission Hospital or Muvonde.

We are planning to build a new Clinic at Mukaro and isolation facilities will be considered. Today as this report in March 1988 there are still the same facilities. Infectious cases such as Measles share the same toilet with non- infectious patients. In 1972 the clinic Stuff consisted of 1 Registered General nurse and midwife, one midwife, one Nurse Aid, Dr Stoughton was visiting the clinic once a month. 26 birds were approved. In 1973 the visiting doctor was Dr Bicha until 1978. He visited the clinic twice a month. In a report to the Ministry for 1974 Fr Loher writes “ Mukaro consists of an old farm house and another house divided into 2 small rooms (each with 4 beds) and a kitchen for the patients. One small lavatory block divided for men and women. There are 26 beds pushed together so that there is hardly room to move.

Most of the in-patients outnumber the 26 beds, being 40-60 patience at times. Financially the clinic was self-supporting; the daily running costs are covered by grants and fees. As long as there is a state Registered Nurse, we can buy the medicines from the medical Store at a lower price than at the chemistry. Furthermore we get 40% 0f the sisters grant $410 half yearly and monthly fees amount ca $170. The clinic does a great service to the people and they appreciate it.

Primary Health Care Functions Carried out at Mukaro Clinic are:

The beginnings of the clinic go back as far as 1945 as the need for medical help to the local community was recognized and a simple Dispensary, housed in a hut, was established by the Strahlfelder Dominicans. In 1948, an application for “Grant in Aid” was send to the clinic by the Health Department stating that “you will note that grants are only payable to missionary societies in respect of medical missions which are under the continuity superintendence of qualified stuff, engaged in bona fide medical work amongst natives and offering medical facilities regardless of ability to pay to natives in their area seeking treatment…” .

In the monthly returns for the month of September 1959 it is still refered to as “Mukaro Mission Dispensary”, having 2 African Nurse Aids employed. According to the available records Sr Joan Edmonds O.P took up the duty as a nurse at the clinic on 15/01/1957 as Sr Malbrecht O.P who worked at the clinic since 1948 and Sr Gualberta O.P LEFT. Also Sr Praedicanta O.P was working at the clinic until 1958. Sr Edmonds O.P worked at the clinic until 31/ 10/1958 and was replaced by Sr Victoria Reggel O.P. on the 01/ 11/1958 Nurse E . Sakina was appointed as Nurse Assistant.

Sr V. Reggel O.P was replaced by Nurse Elizaberth Chirume, who ran the clinic until the 1/06/1963. Miss Anne Bucher took charge of the clinic until the 19/11/1963, when she went on home leave and was replaced by Miss Elizarberth Wuerms, who worked at the clinic from the 19/11/1963 untill 02/04/1964.Miss Anne Bucher was in charge of the clinic from 1963-1966, she was a trained General Nurse and Midwife. Rev. Fr Reich was superintendent of the Mission during the years 1960-1963. As there was no immediate replacement for Nurse A. Bucher who left on the 22/05/1966 for Switzerland, Fr. Loher says the following, “ I wish to inform you as from June 1966 you no longer come under the “Aided Missions” owing to the fact that there vis no qualified stuff at your mission”. Therefore the account will be payment in full until ‘… On the 12/02/1965 in a letter to the Government Medical Officer in Umvuma, Fr Loher requests that the clinic should be visited regularly by a Doctor as there are a great number of in-patients ant out-patients as well.