St. Anne's Hospital serves a catchment area of approximately 100 kilometers along Lake Nyasa, extending about 30 kilometers to the south and up to 70 kilometers to the north. Additionally, numerous villages in the Livingstone Mountains fall within its service area, benefiting up to 100,000 inhabitants from the hospital's location. Another (state) primary care hospital is situated in Mbamba Bay, while larger hospitals can be found in Songea (state) and Peramiho (church), both roughly 200 kilometers away.
St. Anne's Hospital is the largest employer in Liuli, with a capacity of around 100 beds. Most of these beds are in the children's ward and the obstetrics department, complemented by a men's ward and a women's ward. The hospital primarily treats diseases related to internal medicine, especially tropical diseases, and provides basic care in abdominal and trauma surgery. Facilities include a large operating theater (major theater), a smaller operating theater (minor theater) for outpatient procedures, and a delivery room. Additionally, the hospital houses an outpatient department and a specialized HIV outpatient clinic.
Outpatient Care
In 2020, approximately 6,800 patients received outpatient care at St. Anne's Hospital. The most common ailment was malaria, accounting for about 30% of cases, followed by respiratory infections and enteritis. Improved infrastructure and better accessibility of dispensaries (outpatient clinics) around the hospital have led to a decrease in the number of patients treated as outpatients at St. Anne's. In the same year, around 5,500 patients from the entire catchment area were treated in the HIV outpatient clinic, with approximately 2,400 receiving HIV treatment.
Inpatient Care
In 2020, 3,300 patients received inpatient care at St. Anne's Hospital, with malaria being the most common reason for admission. The inpatient mortality rate for children was 2.8%, a significant decrease from 4% in 2010, indicating an improvement in child healthcare outcomes.
Obstetrics
The number of inpatient births at St. Anne's Hospital has remained relatively stable in recent years. In 2017, there were 573 normal births and 272 cesarean sections. By 2020, these numbers slightly decreased to 563 normal births and 217 cesarean sections.
The Hospital as an Employer
In 2020, St. Anne's Hospital employed 83 staff members, which is about 40% of the actual number of employees required. Seventy percent of the staff are unskilled workers who provide essential support for the daily operations of the wards. This reflects the broader training challenges in rural Tanzania. Assistants earn a monthly income of approximately 30-40 euros.
History of the Hospital
The history of St. Anne's Hospital dates back to the era of the great African explorers. In the mid-19th century, David Livingstone embarked on an expedition to explore East Africa. In 1857, he declared, "I shall go back to Africa to clear the way for trade and Christianization," urging his colleagues in Cambridge to embrace the vast, largely unknown continent.
At that time, except for North Africa, much of Africa's interior was uncharted. In 1857, David Livingstone, along with clergyman William Percival Johnson and Bishop Charles Mackenzie, set out for East Africa under the auspices of the University Mission to Central Africa (UMCA). Their mission had five primary goals: ending slavery, spreading Christianity, building hospitals and schools, and establishing trade routes.
Most slaves in Zanzibar during this period were brought from what is now Malawi and transported by ship to Masasi in southeastern Tanzania. After constructing several churches, the missionaries reached Likoma Island in Lake Nyasa, passing through areas that are now part of Mozambique and Malawi. The largest church on the African mainland was built there in 1902. In 1906, Percival Johnson established an infirmary and a church on the east coast of the lake in what is now Liuli. At that time, it was more accurate to describe the facility as a mission dispensary rather than a full-fledged hospital, serving as a transit point for doctors from Likoma Island. These doctors would visit peripheral Dispensaries to provide treatment to up to 20 patients each.
It soon became evident that the existing system was insufficient to meet the healthcare needs of the growing population. Liuli was identified as an ideal location to establish a more comprehensive healthcare facility. Construction of what is now known as St. Anne's Hospital began in 1922, alongside the first rooms of Doctors House .
Dr. Wigan was the first doctor in Liuli, serving from 1922 to 1952. Based on Likoma Island, he traveled by ship to various hospitals and Dispensaries, residing during his tenure in Doctors House.
In 1952, the new Diocese of Southwest Tanganyika was founded, making Liuli the bishop's seat for the Iringa, Mbeya, and Ruvuma regions. However, due to the high risk of malaria, Bishop Frank resided in Njombe. With the establishment of the new diocese, Liuli became a permanent base for medical professionals. The first doctors sent to Liuli by the UMCA from Great Britain were required to be unmarried and not in relationships. After Tanzania gained independence in 1962, the UMCA ceased sending doctors to Liuli.
In 1976, Dr. Sam Ndimbo became the first African First Medical Officer in Liuli. He retired in 1996 but continued to work at the hospital until 2004. Today, the hospital is managed by a Tanzanian doctor. Until 1999, various doctors from England, Germany, and the Netherlands, placed by different organizations, served at St. Anne's Hospital, some for several years. Currently, doctors are placed in Liuli through our association’s voluntary work program to contribute their expertise. These doctors typically live with their families in Liuli's Doctors House.
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