Medical Volunteering Tanzania

From $800.00

Please note all prices are in New Zealand Dollars ($NZD)

Trip Code :WT-CODE 2312

Mount Meru Regional Hospital in the city centre of Arusha is the main public hospital for the Mount Meru, Arusha, and Lake Manyara regions. All smaller district hospitals and many private hospitals refer patients to this large hospital, which is located opposite of the Arusha International Conference Centre.

The hospital has a total bed capacity of 450 beds. It features the following departments: General Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology (including mother and child pre- and post-natal care, family planning), Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Radiology, Pathology, Mental Health, Anaesthesia, Physiotherapy, Laboratory, Intensive Care Unit, Care & Treatment Center (CTC) for HIV/AIDS patients and pharmacy.

At the hospital’s obstetric ward it is not uncommon for there to be 30 childbirths per day. There are three operating theaters: major theater, ophthalmic theater, and obstetric theater.

The hospital has 25 general practitioners, one internist, one surgeon, one gynecologist, one clinical psychologist and one public health specialist, nine medical officers, and 15 assistant physicians. Furthermore, there are 66 nurses and midwives, 48 nursing officers, three public health nurses, and 120 nursing assistants. In total, the hospital employs a team of 430 staff.

Students of medicine and nursing can do an elective placement or internship at one department or they can rotate through several departments. They will be attached to a supervising physician or nurse who decides which examinations and treatments the student can carry out under their supervision, including drug administration, wound care, taking vital signs, giving vaccinations and assisting with other tasks.

Internships are also possible for students of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and midwifery.

Volunteer placements are possible for professional physicians and nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

The usual working hours are Monday to Friday from 8 am to 3:30 pm including one hour of lunch break. If you want, you can also work on Saturdays and Sundays, and you can do night shifts.

Interns/elective students/volunteers should bring their own scrubs (white, green or blue), closed shoes (any color). It is furthermore recommended to bring one’s own hand disinfectant liquid and one’s own stethoscope. Those who want to join surgery should please bring green or blue surgery scrubs, face mask, and medical hair nets.

Students of medicine, nursing or therapies as well as professional volunteers pay a weekly contribution of $50 USD.

The accommodation of high standards is located in the Sakina residential area of Arusha Town, at around five km from Mount Meru Hospital. It is run by a local host family.

On the large plot, within park-like gardens, there are several buildings. One is the family’s home, and another one is run as a guesthouse. The buildings and their furnishing are of high standards and tastefully decorated.

It is up to you to decide whether you prefer to have family integration, which is appreciated by the outgoing and hospitable family, or whether you prefer to be independent of the family, staying at the guesthouse.

You can book including full board, or without meals. A shared kitchen can be used.

There is a washing machine at the accommodation, which is 15,000 TSH for 12 kg of laundry. Without further costs, there is WiFi internet, a television (in the shared area) and flat iron.

The Mount Meru hospital can be easily reached by public transport (Daladala).

The single room on full board is $15 USD per night. A single room without meals is $10 USD per night.

Are studying towards, or have a qualification in medicine, nursing, therapy or other related medical fields
Age: 18- 30 years
Be motivated and interested in experiencing another culture
Be flexible and open-minded
Have a clean police record
Be in good general health

Individual Consultation and Preparation prior to your arrival
Access to the Online Resource Centre which has Preparation Materials including Intercultural Preparation, compiled particularly for your destination (PDFs, Videos)
Preparation Session via Skype, together with further participants
Arrangements of the Documents you need for your Visa Application, but not the official government fees for the visa (see costs below)
Local Police Registration (if required)
Pick-up and Transfer on arrival from the next international airport to where you do the placement
Accompanying you to your placement on your first day
Issuance of Confirmations/Certificates for your university, scholarship, insurance, etc. and filling out/signing Internship Contracts for your university