From Derby Church Network, Mid December 2009
By Barbara Keal, New Life Derby

New Life in Derby brings New Life to Nigeria

Hospital move in Derby allows older equipment to be shipped overseas by Derby Christians

A container with surplus hospital equipment was loaded on 28th October 2009 bound for a rural Medical Centre in Ekim, Southern Nigeria. A team from New Life Christian Centre in Derby, visited this centre in April 2009, and noted a severe lack of basic resources like beds, bedside lockers, chairs, screens. I knew that the acute services were all to be transferred to the new Royal Derby Hospital, and as a retired Matron/Manager ITU, asked the question could some items be shipped to the Medical Centre? After many enquiries the answer was “yes!”

Equipment was donated by the hospital and the container paid for by voluntary contributions from New Life Christian Centre.

The Medical Centre had been open for about 2 years. It is a 30 minutes drive from the town of Oron, on the banks of the Cross River, 15 of which are on a dirt track. Initially the building was covered by jungle, the roof leaked, and there were graves all around including an open grave in the “kitchen”! The place was spooked and no one would go near it but some church people did. They cleared the bush, removed the body, cleaned up the nine rooms, repaired the roof and door and painted the walls. There is one doctor and one auxiliary nurse in attendance and the patients all walk to see the doctor. This equipment will be greatly appreciated, in fact the Centre is very excited at the prospect of receiving beds, lockers, chairs, screens.

While the team were in Nigeria we had a free medicines day and I found myself dispensing prescriptions in 40 degrees centigrade. The medicines were paid for by New Life Christian Centre, Derby. New Life partnered the drilling of a bore hole, and Pastor Geoff Pickup lead the opening ceremony. The Centre now has pure clean cold water for the very first time, and the Doctor has reported less infection and illness in the children since the bore hole was opened. In the future more staff are planned and with the equipment this may happen sooner than later.

 
News Index >>