VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 04/17/08) - Heal Africa, a hospital and partner of American Baptist International Ministries in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is seeking medical supplies and medicines to care for dozens of patients who flooded the hospital Tuesday, April 15, after a plane crashed near the city of Goma, killing at least 36.
Several news agencies and the United Nations provided conflicting reports of the number of deaths, injuries, passengers and crew on the plane, which was operated by Hewa Bora Airlines. The media has reported that the government said 38 persons had died and at least 115 were injured, while the UN has reported 36 deaths and at least 146 injured. The plane crashed into a busy marketplace and village, after aborting a takeoff attempt.
However, what is clear is that Heal Africa, a modern, 150-bed hospital less than 2 miles from the site has been overwhelmed with victims.
Dr. Bill Clemmer, a missionary with International Ministries said he had spoken with Dr. Jo Lusi, the director of the hospital on Tuesday. "Dr Lusi was kind enough to spend a few minutes with me on the phone in what sounded like mayhem in the background," said Clemmer. "He wanted to let [International Ministries] know that he, his wife Lynn, and the staff are safe. He is requesting IV fluids, bandages and medicine."
Clemmer, who leads a nationwide health program called SANRU that assists hospitals and health clinics to reach more than 12 million Congolese people, will lead a response team and continue to assess the situation.
International Ministries also spoke with Dr. Dan Fountain, who served with his wife Miriam, as a doctor in DRC from 1959 to 1996. Fountain visited the Heal Africa hospital in early February of this year, as part of a tour of various medical facilities, including nine hospitals with which International Ministries has relationships in the Western Congo.
"I'm sure finances are needed, because most likely there will be very minimal payment on the part of the victims of this accident," said Fountain, who was at the hospital for four days during his two-month visit to the country. He added that a team of volunteer doctors and surgeons had arrived at the hospital recently, including Dr. Larry Norton, a former professor of surgery at the University of Colorado at Denver, and a former International Ministries missionary in Northeast India.
Heal Africa, which provides a variety of surgical, medical and community health programs was recently rebuilt after a volcanic eruption destroyed the hospital, as well as large parts of the city of Goma. Some of its programs -- also known as Doctors On Call Service or DOCS -- have received support from American Baptist Women Ministries in recent years.
In 2007, the American Baptist Women of the Great Rivers region contributed over $19,000 through International Ministries for DOCS. Prior to that in 2005, American Baptist Women of the Central Region contributed over $25,000 through International Ministries for DOCS.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/