ABOUT WASSO HOSPITAL
Legend: Dr. Herbert Watschinger
Our services
The three hospitals Wasso, Digodigo and Endulen together have around 240 beds. Around 3,000 patients are admitted to hospital every year. Together, with the mobile clinics, around 45,000 patients receive outpatient care every year. The most common diseases are pneumonia and diarrhea diseases. The latter are particularly common in children. Tuberculosis is also still a major problem, probably as a result of poor hygiene standards and the close living conditions of large families. In recent years, there has also been AIDS among the 10 most common diagnoses. In addition, an extensive outpatient medical prevention program is offered in hospitals and mobile clinics, namely vaccination campaigns. The contribution to the cost of medical care always had to remain affordable. Care is free for children, tuberculosis patients and pregnant women.
legend: A Maasaï woman waiting for a consultation
History of Wasso Hopsital
Dr. Herbert Watschinger was born in Linz - Austria in 1922. He studied medicine in Prague and moved later to Graz.
While he was still studying, he was drafted into military service and became a war prisoner in England. At the end of the war, he continued his medical studies in Innsbruck.
In 1952,he began studying theology, which he completed in 1956. The same year, he was ordained a priest. After serving as a chaplain in several Austrian parishes,
he made the decision to undertake missionary work in East Africa. Dr. Watschinger worked for 27 years, from 1964 to his death, in 1991 as a doctor and priest in Tanzania,
for the Archdiocese of Arusha, in the Ngorongoro District.
The creation of Wasso hospital:
In 1964, during his mission in Tanzania, Dr. Watschninger followed the request from a missionary sister in Linz to build a hospital. He then built the Wasso hospital and worked there as a doctor. In those days, there was no electricity, no machine tools and no building materials. All of this had to be transported by truck on impassable roads from Arusha (450 km) and Dar es Salaam (1000 km). Later, he built the Endulen and Digodigo Health Center. Dr. Watschinger is said to have built 3 hospitals in Ngorongoro District for around 200,000 Maasai. Wasso hospital now has around 160 beds and around 150 staff members, including three doctors when fully staffed. The life’s work of Dr. Watschinger must not be forgotten. Pro Watschinger, an initiative of the Upper Austrian Cartel association, wants to emphasize this project but also provide concrete help
Pro Watschinger and its key role:
Pro Watschinger is an independent, open platform of the Upper Austrian Cartel association, launched in 2007. The facilities Dr. Watschinger created in the Ngorongoro District, such as Wasso, Endulen and Digodigo hospitals are still the only medical care structures for the local population, even in the most remote villages. The legal entity of the hospitals, the Archdiocese of Arusha, has been increasingly dependent on external help since 2006. Pro Watschinger has therefore set itself the goal of preserving Dr. Watschinger works. In consultation with the Archdiocese of Arusha, Pro Watschinger focuses on providing financial support for the training and further education of medical staff in order to be able to continue to guarantee high-quality basic medical care for the Maasai in the future. The donations are subject to an annual audit.
Tanzania: informations about country and region:
Tanzania is located in southeast Africa and has a size of approximately 950,000 km2. With around 65 million inhabitants, it is sparsely populated. The average life expectancy is 56 years; the child mortality rate up to the age of 5 is 108 per 1000 children. For comparison, in Austria, the child mortality rate is 4 per 1000. The Ngorongoro District borders Kenya in the north and the Serengeti National Park in the west at an altitude of around 2000 meters. Covering an area of 14.000 km2, with around 200.000 inhabitants, the district is even more sparsely populated than the rest of Tanzania. The population of this district is 85% Maasaï. They are livestock breeders (goats, donkeys, beefs) and live in large families (20 to 60 people) in so-called bomas, which they protect with a fence made of bushes and thorns. 15% of the district’s population are Batemi, these are the input residents of the Sonjo area. They practice agriculture and their culture and way of life differ significantly from the Maasai. Why are we operating in the Ngorongoro district?
To this day, there is largely a lack of any infrastructure in the district. Only a single paved road that can be used all year round leads partially through the district. During the rainy season, all other paths are difficult or impossible to navigate. There are hardly any public or private means of transport. The Maasaï live in poor hygienic conditions without any sanitary facilities. The biggest issue for people and livestock is water supply: only around 35% of residents have access to drinking water. The lack of water in the dry season forces the Maasaï to live a semi-nomadic life.
The vision of Wasso Hospital “ Is to fulfil the call of Christ in the healing Ministry by providing the health status of all, especially those most in need” With a total of 175 beds the Hospital offers inpatient and outpatient care services. The outpatient service comprises of clinical diagnostics and treatments, whereas the inpatient services mainly relate to minor surgeries.