Bibanga Presbyterian Hospital

Bibanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bibanga Presbyterian Hospital was begun in 1917 by Dr. Kellersberger who received and treated patients, even doing surgical procedures, under a large tree in a small village in the middle of East Kasai, the central part of Zaire. By 1924 the first operating room had been built and Dr. Kellersberger's interest in leprosy and sleeping sickness had deepened. He continued to work at the hospital and the area even after his wife died of malaria.

The hospital had grown to 150 beds and serves a population of 293,000 people in a fifty mile radius. It is the only functioning hospital in an area of over 3,000 square kilometers. Over 15,000 out-patients are seen with more than 3,500 patients being admitted and about 1,000 surgeries performed each year. It is the most preferred hospital in the region for surgical procedures and treatment of broken bones, so the need for surgical and orthopedic equipment and supplies has increased. At church hospitals in the Congo no one is turned away.

The Medical Director is Dr. Mukena Tshimankinda, who works with one other Congolese physician, 32 nurses, 2 administrators and 68 other employees. The Bibanga Presbyterian Hospital is operated as part of the health ministry of the Communaute Presbyterienne au Congo.

The community health program has established twelve health centers, developed an immunization program and holds study courses on community health for villagers several times each year.

Bibanga Hospital serves as a general referral hospital in a Community Health Program, organized as the Bibanga Rural Health Zone. It has established fifteen Health Centers. The Community Health Program includes many activities: education for village health; maternal, infant care and family planning, healthy water and sanitation activities, prevention of local endemic diseases and promotion of nutrition.

The hospital provides supervision for a sanatorium and a leprosy camp of about 40 families.

The Nursing School was established in 1982 and is a four year course which graduates about 20 students in each class. The Christian Medical Technology School continues to graduate students and place all of them in the D. R. Congo.

PC(USA) Extra Commitment Opportunities (Acct.# 319702) provide assistance and the Medical Benevolence Foundation provides funds to help with fuel subsidy, the public health program, some hospital renovation and dispensary flights. Interchurch Medical Assistance and the Presbyterian Women provide medicines and supplies. The Village Community Presbyterian Church of California is the recent partner of Bibanga Hospital.

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