Mother of Mercy Hospital Update - March 2022
Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan serves as the backbone of the healthcare system in this fragile region. The main referral facility in Gidel and the string of community clinics can serve 150,000+ patients a year. The growing local staff performs operations, battles cancer and preventable diseases, and brings new children into the world.
Mudwakil’s Story
A few times a year, the hospital’s medical director Dr. Tom Catena shares a story of one of their patients that left a lasting impact on the team:
I wish you could meet my patient Mudwakil in person. He’s a precious little boy who came to us in desperate need of surgery.
About a year ago, his mom Rusha noticed unusual swelling in his abdomen. Mudwakil was in a lot of pain, so Rusha took him north to be seen by a doctor in Khartoum. Mudwakil got surgery, and, for a little while, everything seemed fine. But then the symptoms came back, this time worse than before. After months of trying treatment at a local health clinic, Rusha finally made the difficult journey south to see us at the hospital. I took care of Rusha’s grandmother a while ago. She hoped we might be able to help her family again.
I immediately examined Mudwakil and diagnosed him with a recurrent hernia.
A hernia occurs when the intestine pushes through the tissue that holds it in place and bulges through the abdominal wall. It is treatable when surgery is done correctly. But if treatment is delayed or an unsuccessful surgery happens, hernias can be fatal.
Thankfully, Rusha brought Mudwakil here and I was able to reverse the damage of the first surgery he received. The operation was difficult, but because of the generous support of people like you, we had the proper tools, equipment, and trained staff to save this little boy’s life.
“He is doing much better now and I couldn’t be happier,” Rusha shared with me. “Both Mudwakil and Munda (my grandmother) have received excellent care here, and I thank you so much for your help.”
Recent News
It’s been a busy year at the hospital. The fragile ceasefire in the Nuba Mountains is allowing for better freedom of movement. People are even coming from as far away as Khartoum, Darfur, and the far eastern parts of Sudan, a testament to the quality of care and high reputation of the hospital’s staff.
The hospital’s lab technicians continue to run a PCR testing machine for COVID-19, with more cases beginning to show up in the region.
The dream of opening a training school nearby is finally taking shape. The team hopes to launch the school in July 2022, allowing for the training of local Sudanese nurses, midwives, and physician assistants locally. More healthcare workers are desperately needed in the Nuba region. This new facility will help alleviate the healthcare worker burden over time and provide more quality healthcare to the Nuba people.
Finally, Operation Broken Silence is managing funds for a multi-org project that is bringing new batteries, building materials and tools, and other resources to improve the power infrastructure at the hospital. These are items that can’t be sourced locally, but will have a major, positive impact on daily operations. They will also help with opening the clinical school and several other upcoming projects in the area.
Despite the coup in Khartoum last October, the situation in the Nuba Mountains remains relatively quiet. There is now potential for rapid progress that was long denied during the war. This is an exciting time for the hospital and people of Nuba, but they need additional support to continue moving forward.
Get Involved
Mother of Mercy Hospital is funded by private donors and fundraisers from around the world.
When we all do our small part, the staff, trainees, and patients at the hospital thrive.
The three most common ways to help are to make a one-time donation, sign up to give monthly, or start a fundraising page and ask friends and family to give.
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Other Ways To Give
Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence, write Hospital in the memo line, and mail to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN, 38177-0900
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About Nuba
The Nuba Mountains are home to roughly 100 African tribal groups who have lived here for over 2,000 years. The 1.3 million Christian, Muslim, and traditional Nuba people live mostly in harmony.
Sadly, the Nuba way of life has been in danger for decades. Extremist regime officials have long viewed the tolerant Nuba people as a threat to their iron-fisted rule. The Sudanese military and their paramilitary allies have committed two genocides in the region since the 1990s.
Dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in a military coup in April 2019. A fledgling transitional government replaced him and is supposed to be moving the country toward civilian, democratic rule. A coup in November 2021 disrupted this progress. A fragile ceasefire continues to hold in the Nuba Mountains right now.
Operation Broken Silence focuses on the Nuba Mountains and nearby Yida Refugee Camp. We are one of the hospital’s financial partners. Your generous support is essential for the team at the hospital. Learn more about our mission here.
