– Through the cooperation with Life Support Foundation we have managed to save patients that we otherwise would have lost, said Dr Luzango Maembe, Gynecologist and Head of Department at Mwananyamala Hospital, Dar es Salaam, yesterday. He was one of the speakers at the seminar ,”When life is hanging by a thread – acute health care that makes a big difference with limited resources” at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna.
The population of Dar es Salaam is five times as large as the one in Stockholm, but hospitals built for 100 patients serve thousands. While Swedish hospitals have one patient per bed, there can be as much as four patients per bed in Dar.
Out of 41,251 births between January and June 2016, 1 553 ended with either the child or the mother dead.
– But despite the difficulties we face, we carry out successful surgeries. Life Support Foundation has helped us to build competence and we are now better equipped to care for patients at the smaller hospitals so that we don’t need to refer them on, said Dr Luzango Maembe, Mwananyamala Hospital.
This was one of the messages during yesterday’s seminar,” When life is hanging by a thread – acute health care that makes a big difference with limited resources.”
Doctors and nurses from Dar es Salaam, participating in the exchange program to study Swedish acute health care at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna. and BB Stockholm, shared information, along with Swedish doctors and nurses.
Also present was Mr Jacob P Msekwa, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of Tanzania in Stockholm, who was warmly welcomed.
Despite traffic problems there were many gathered at Nanna Svartz lecture hall to learn more about Life Support Foundation’s work.
Tim Baker, chairman, stressed that the organization is unique through its focus 
on treatment and quality emergency care of very sick patients and by building on a true collaboration and sustainability.
– With just a little support from you every month we can continue our work and hold new courses, he said, challenging the audience to become friends and monthly donors of Life Support Foundation.
