Hospital Website

https://www.mandritsara.org.uk/hospital

Mission Organization

Bible Baptist Churches of Madagascar and the Friends of Mandritsara Trust

Profile

The Good News Hospital started over 25 years ago in a house with six small rooms in the center of Mandritsara town. It was part of a vision of the Bible Baptist Churches of Madagascar to reach the people of Mandritsara with the Gospel. Over the years, God has provided and grown His work in amazing ways. Today, the hospital sees nearly 2,000 outpatients every month and has 57 beds to serve the needs of inpatients. The hospital is also home to the only operating theaters within a 125-mile distance, an eye department—with an operating room—a laboratory, an X-ray department, a pharmacy, and a Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) training program. The hospital provides a high standard of care to its patients in a resource-poor setting. It is committed to the continual professional development of all staff, as well as training Malagasy nurses and midwives in the school. The priority is to have the opportunity to share Jesus with every patient.

Travel

Volunteers fly by commercial airline to Ivato International Airport (TNR) into Antananarivo. After staying overnight in Antananarivo, volunteers take a 1.5-hour flight operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to Mandritsara.

Time Difference

Madagascar is on East Africa Time (EAT). +7 hours Daylight Saving Time (DST), USA. +8 hours Eastern Standard Time (EST), USA

Location

Madagascar is the second largest island in the world and is located off the east coast of Africa across the Mozambique Channel. Mandritsara is in a rural northern province of Madagascar.

People & Culture

The largest group of people served by the Good News Hospital are the Malagasy people who live off an agricultural economy, specifically cultivating rice and raising cattle.

Language

Malagasy and French are the official languages of Madagascar. Throughout the country, there are various dialects of Malagasy, with Tsimihety being local to the Mandritsara area. French is the primary language spoken at the hospital, although many of the patients can only speak their mother tongue. There are translators or nurses available to help bridge the language gaps.

Religion

Catholicism and Christianity are considered the dominant religions on the island. However, a significant portion of the population continues to practice traditional animistic beliefs. In the northern region, animistic beliefs are common in the rural villages. Many people there believe in a creator god, while practicing traditional beliefs in the veneration of the dead.

Visa

Volunteers serving for more than 15 days will be required to obtain a visa upon arrival at their port of entry.

Housing

Volunteers will either have a room at the six-room guesthouse with two shared bathrooms and a shared kitchen/dining/living space, or they will be housed in a two-room, self-contained duplex.

Food

Volunteers are responsible for procuring their own groceries in Mandritsara and preparing all meals while serving at Good News Hospital. Staff will be available to help shop for local ingredients.

Climate

Mandritsara is typically warm, with the hot season running from about November to April, and coinciding with the rainy season, which runs from December to March. Temperatures during the hot season typically run in the 90s, with humidity adding an additional challenge. During the cooler months, the humidity lowers and temperatures are generally in the 80s, with nights getting below 70°F. The country is prone to destructive cyclones during the cyclone season, which can cause mass destruction on the east coast of the island.

Charting

Hospital charting is done in French.