Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Haydom, Mbulu District, Tanzania

Sebastian Gidlöf, Sweden

Where and when did you work abroad?

Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Haydom, Mbulu District, Tanzania
March to June 2015

Did you need a visa or a working permit? If yes, how did you arrange it?

A visa is needed and depending on your nationality it can be bought at arrival in Tanzania (tourist visa). I applied for acknowledgement of license to practice medicine through the General Medical Council of Tanzania (GMC) but never received any notice of their decision depite paying a quite substantial fee.

When I arrived in Haydom I realized I did not need any official papers from the GMC to practice as long as I did not receive any payment/salary from the hospital.

How much experience did you have before going? Was that enough?

I had done 4 years of residency at a large university hospital in Sweden. I found that enough but the variety of cases was very different to what I am used to manage in Sweden. Honestly, I do not think more experience in a Western setting would have prepared me better for the type of cases I was managing in rural Tanzania.

What kind of work have you been doing?

I did solely clinical work. At the hospital there were two specialists in Ob/Gyn, although most of the time only one was present. I was working with supervising the interns at the department of Ob/Gyn, doing ward rounds, working in the labor ward and operation theatre. I worked both daytime and on-calls.

How did you find out about this possibility? Did you have a contact person who will be willing to organize a stay for another trainee (or at least give some information) and whose name you can pass on?

I found the hospital on the internet and contacted their administration. When I was their the head of the department was Dr. Munyaw but I do not know if he is still at the hospital. However, the hospital can easily be found on the internet at their website.

How did you finance your stay?

I was able to cover for the whole stay by using extra hours that I had already worked on call back home (“jourkomp”).

Are there any ongoing research projects at the hospital?

Yes, the hospital has a research facility although it was not very well developed when I was there.

Your e-mail-address in order to answer questions from interested trainees:

sebastian.gidlof@sll.se