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St. Francis Referral Hospital has 371 beds and is divided into departments for Surgery, Internal
Medicine, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Paediatrics, Chronic Diseases and Intensive Care.
Additionally, there are outpatients’ departments and wards for Tuberculosis, Dental Medicine,
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychiatry, Leprosy, Rehabilitation, an X-ray department and
a laboratory. And a special laboratory for the production of infusions, something not imaginable in
Europe. Outpatients are examined and treated in a special building situated in front of the hospital,
with departments for eye diseases, skin diseases and HIV/AIDS.
In the Outpatient Department, about 100.000 patients are treated per year, in the Inpatient
Departments 17000. The number of births amounts to about 5000 per year. This vast number of
patients has to be seen in relation to the number of doctors (as at December 14th): 10 Specialists, 11
Medical Officers, 11 Assistant Medical Officers, 23 Interns and 125 Nurses.
The main administrative challenges faced by the hospital include shortage of doctors and
specialists, unreliable drug supply by the government, insufficient budget for hospital equipment,
uncertain water and electricity supply and outdated laboratory equipment leading to diagnostic
problems.
The hospital is co-financed by the Tanzanian Government and the Diocese of Ifakara. “Cost-
Sharing” is another important source of income. It means, patients are charged a certain amount of
money for hospital stays, treatment, examinations, operations and medicaments. Only very poor
people are exempt from this charge. The income from this source amounts to 36% of the budget.
Source: stfrancisreferralhospital.or.tz (accessed 5.1.2019)
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