On Mafia Island, oxygen is no longer a 10 hour journey
Written by Nicoletta Snellen
Photography by Gustavo
When FREO2 announced a collaboration with Tanzania's Ministry of Health (MOH) to improve oxygen access on Mafia Island, many wondered - why this particular island? It wasn’t until the FREO2 team arrived on the island alongside the Doris Mollel Foundation that we really understood why the MOH needed our assistance there.
For a severely ill child on Mafia Island to access critical oxygen treatment, they must first travel by boat to Tanzania’s mainland – a gruelling 10 hour journey, costing $1.1 million TNZ shillings ($500 USD). Notwithstanding this insurmountable cost, a hypoxic child is unlikely to survive such a long journey.
The FREO2 team was shocked to learn that the shoreline surrounding the docking bay of the mainland is scattered with row upon row of gravestones, many of which mark the graves of newborn babies who had passed away on their long referral journey from Mafia Island.
Senior Technician Anatoli Umbu and FREO2 Co-Founder Dr. Bryn Sobott install FREO2 oxygen systems in Mafia District Hospital
So when FREO2 Tanzania technicians Anatoli Umbu and Alex John arrived, they went straight to work installing our novel oxygen technologies in the paediatric and neonatal wards of Mafia District Hospital.
Anatoli is thankful to our supporters, who “have come together to help our Tanzanian children… when we get significant guarantors like these, we’ve taken a big step forward in our development”.
Alphonce, a Biomedical Engineer at Mafia District Hospital
Anatoli and Alex made it their mission to ensure local expertise can now sustainably maintain our newly installed systems. Alphonce, a biomedical engineer from Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, welcomed their guidance and training on FREO2 systems and by the time the FREO2 team left Mafia, Alphonce was already sharing his knowledge on FREO2 systems with other local health workers.
There to support the Tanzanian team was FREO2 Co-founder and Physicist Dr Bryn Sobott:
“(FREO2) set about to invent a suite of technologies to increase access to oxygen where the impact would be greatest… the dream is to get oxygen to all children who need it, when they need it”.
Following the installation of our systems, FREO2 Clinical Lead Dr. Chrispin Gaare conducted our first clinical training program in the region. The team trained 20 local health workers in pulse oximetry diagnosis and oxygen therapy delivery.
A recipient of this training, Dr. Davis Kombe says that he’s seen a rise in paediatric patients with respiratory illnesses, requiring oxygen at Mafia District Hospital:
“Since we have installed this new oxygen from FREO2… it has made things easier for us”.
Dr Chrispin Gaare and the medical team at Mafia District Hospital
In the second week following installation, FREO2 oxygen systems had already treated 10 children. Today, FREO2 has treated 55 children on Mafia with lifesaving oxygen treatment.
When Mosi Mussa's second child was born in Mafia District Hospital, he was in poor health, but following FREO2 oxygen treatment, his health improved and she could finally breastfeed him:
“His health is good; I fed him breastmilk and we bring him back”.
“It has been quite a beautiful journey (to this) island where every need is within them” says Doris Mollel, Executive Director of the Doris Mollel Foundation:
“We believe the investment FREO2 is making in Mafia Island is going to be one of the most remarkable investments that our government will forever cherish”.
We thank the Better Futures CoLab, Brink and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office who catalysed our programs in Tanzania, as well as Dr. Zuberi (DMO), Dr Kassim S.Ndumbo (District executive Director), Dr Maya, The Doris Mollel Foundation, the Segal Family Foundation, the Ripple Foundation and the Planet Wheeler Foundation. Without their tremendous support FREO2 could not have established a sustainable oxygen program on Mafia Island.
The FREO2 team celebrates our first oxygen installation on Mafia Island
