Lutindi Mental Hospital

Lutindi Mental Hospital is probably Tanzania's psychiatric clinic with the highest standard. As opposed to other mental hospitals in the country, Lutindi is putting a lot of effort into occupational therapy. It is the aim to involve the patients into a fixed daily schedule of activities. Most of them are schizophrenics, or alcohol or drug addicts.

The private clinic which has been founded over a hundred years ago by German settlers, is still today being financially supported by foreign church organizations (United Evangelical Mission). The director is from Germany and there are ongoing cooperations with German psychiatric organizations.

The clinic has 100 beds. The patients are from all over Tanzania. They are being referred from public psychiatric hospitals to Lutindi. The hospital is located in the region of Tanga within the plain nature of the Usambara mountains, surrounded by farm land, which belongs to the clinic. It is only reachable by a steep, winded road on a mountain, around 13 km outside the town of Korogwe. Three villages with a total population of around 3000 are reachable by foot. This location, which is strongly distinct from the big city life of Dar-eS-Salaam or Arusha, contributes a lot to the cure of the patients. Activities carried out as part of occupational therapy include tea farming and production, manufacturing of sisal products, carpentry and wood work, and farming.

The clinic runs its own tea plantations and machines for making tea. Sisal is being used to weave mats, baskets, hats... - the fibres are first being spun, dyed and woven. The farm has cows whose milk is being processed to cheese, and there is cultivation of fruits and vegetables. All of these products are being sold at various shops, including the Dar-es-Salaam airport shop.

Around 450 in-patients are being treated every year at Lutindi, the average duration of stay is between 6 weeks and 3 months. It is the aim to prepare the patient within this time for an autonomous life. A longer duration of stay at the hospital could result in difficulties of reintegration into society.

Further, Lutindi is running a psychiatric outpatient clinic at the town of Korogwe. The town is located half way between Dar-es-Salaam and Arusha/Moshi along one of Tanzania's most important highways and is therefore easily reachable by bus. The outpatient clinic is open 3 days per week and serves around 5000 patients per year.

There are 4 nursing officers working at the clinic, one occupational therapist, and a social worker. Lutindi faces difficulties in hiring qualified staff, as employment at a church organisation has some disadvantages to employees in terms of pension payments and accessibility to further education, compared to working for a public institution. For that reason, most of the staff are only staying for a limited duration of time.

The clinic is also operating its own medical dispensary, which not only serves the clinic's own patients, but also the people of the neighbouring villages. Every year, around 50 births are given at the dispensary.

The wife of the former director has started the "Lutindi Cultural & Eco Tourism" initiative with some villagers, which arranges hiking excursions and cultural visits in the Usambara Mountains. The idea was to offer possibilities of excursions to (foreign) visitors to Lutindi Mental Hospital, to improve the relation between the clinic and the local population, and to explore ways of income generation. If you are interested, you can also support this group.

Lutindi Mental Hospital is particularly interested in volunteers and interns who can work in occupational therapy, as the number of staff is too limited. Volunteer psychiatrists and psychotherapists are welcome. The clinic is also supporting student's dissertations. Minimum duration of stay is 3 months, but the hospital prefers a duration of 6 months or more. It is expected that you acquire some basic knowledge of Swahili language prior to your arrival.

The clinic can provide accommodation of good standard which is made available for a small rent including full board.

Info box:

Location: Lutindi, Tanga, Tanzania

Duration: min. 3 months

Requirements: previous studies/experiences of relevant subject area

Costs: none; trouble-free package is optional

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Not included

Included: placement into the project; when contracting the trouble-free package all services of the trouble-free package are included

Not included: Travel to Tanzania, health insurance, visa, Residence Permi

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