By Sister Aline Matsanga, SNDdeN, Director
Sisters Nadine Miesi, Aline Matsanga and Hélène Lugungu, SNDdeN appreciate their three Co-workers who share this ministry and Mission at the Health Care Center.
Mpese Health Center is one of the health facilities of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) in the Congo- Kinshasa Province. Established in Central Congo in the Diocese of Kisantu, this Center is more than 100 km from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Three Sisters collaborate with three Co-workers to serve a large population, with inpatient and outpatient medical care. This Health Center provides for Mpese and the surrounding area some relief to the population who are so far away from any medical referrals and lacks transport to reach the hospital. The Staff at the Center treats sick children and adults alike, does pre-natal consultations for pregnant women, delivers the newborns in the region, and enables pre-school consultations for children before school age. It also cares for those with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
Sr. Nadine Miesi collaborates with her Co-workers as she consults a mother about her sick child.
Sister Aline Matsanga is the Director of Mpese Health Center and a qualified nurse. She receives nursing support from Sister Nadine Miesi, also a trained nurse and Sister Hélène Lugungu who is an experienced mid-wife.
Three qualified Co-workers, a nurse, laboratory technician and a mid-wife collaborate with the Sisters in this Center for care and wellness of many people in this area. All personnel, in order to upgrade their training and skills, benefit from additional training organized by the SNDdeN Office for the Coordination and Capacity Building of Medical Works, an organization in the Nselo Health Zone.
Aline Matsanga weighs a little child who has come for treatment at the Health Care Center.
The majority of the population are farmers whose livelihood results from agricultural produce. Their socio-economic situation does not allow the people to receive appropriate heath care. Sometimes, they are only able to pay for medical care and treatments with the produce from the crops in their fields.
The Sisters and lay nurses are the care-givers not only at the Health Center. They even go to the villages to do consultations with the elderly, who are not able to come to the center. The do not have money for transportation and health-care costs. The Sisters provide free medical services for many people living in poverty. They also go into villages for pre-school consultations for children who need any medical follow-up.
It is impossible to know the far-reaching impact of these six health-care workers and these twenty-four educators in this part of the Congo! They bring the life and spirit of St. Julie Billiart and the Mission of the Congregation through such a vibrant collaboration.
