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Located in Dar es Salaam, Muhimbili National Hospital is the national teaching and reference hospital for Tanzania. When the Abbott/Tanzania partnership began in 2002, the HIV clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital was small, old and cramped. Laboratory equipment had fallen into disrepair or become outdated. Patient records were kept by hand, and patients often waited weeks for lab results. Many people would not go to the clinic because of fear that their neighbors would see them, learn their HIV status and they would become shunned within their community.
A new treatment center with integrated HIV care
A new, three-story outpatient treatment center has now been built at Muhimbili National Hospital and was dedicated by then-President Mkapa and Abbott CEO Miles White on October 6, 2005. The 40,000 square foot (3,700 square meter) center serves hundreds of patients per day, and includes 34 patient examination rooms, a pharmacy, and training facilities for medical students and health care professionals. People with HIV are seen in the same setting as people with other chronic illnesses, helping to reduce the stigma associated with HIV.
Training in effective HIV patient care has been conducted for more than 4,300 physicians, nurses and support staff. Two hundred trained physicians at Muhimbili National Hospital now serve as trainers for other health professional staff.
State-of-the art clinical labs offer the latest technologies
A new state-of-the-art, full-service laboratory building allows doctors access to the latest automated diagnostic testing and monitoring crucial for the lifelong monitoring of HIV and other chronic diseases. Patients now can receive lab results the same day as their physician visit. More than 100 staff members have been trained to operate the new laboratory equipment.
The trained staff and new equipment have significantly increased the capacity at the laboratory, including a hundredfold increase in capacity to process chemistry diagnostic tests and a fourfold increase in capacity to process hematology samples. All donated laboratory equipment is being maintained by field service engineers, supported by the Abbott Fund.
“Back office” improvements critical for quality care and sustainable operations
Beyond the physical improvements at Muhimbili National Hospital are the equally important changes in strengthening “back-office” functions and the training of management and staff. Improved management approaches have been implemented, allowing hospital-generated revenue to be increased by more than 56 percent in three years. One of the most extensive hospital IT systems in East Africa has been installed, and more than 2,500 staff have been trained in its operation, allowing staff to track health history, referrals, test results and drug prescriptions. In addition, 75 senior doctors and hospital directors received management training.
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