We are extremely grateful here in Mandritsara for the financial support of the recent evaluation by Engineering Ministries International (EMI). EMI is a Christian Engineering organisation with significant engineering experience in African mission hospitals. The Good News Hospital began working with EMI in 2021 after suspecting that the hospital was outgrowing some critical infrastructure such as water and electricity.

The problems that exist from the existing infrastructure are signs of a growing hospital that continues to provide and expand quality, compassionate and affordable medical and surgical care to the community and surround areas the name of Jesus. The addition of the new critical care unit and post-operative recovery area has significantly improved the surgical care we can provide to the community. But these areas need reliable electricity and water as does the rest of the hospital.

From the evaluation, we discovered that many electrical circuits are not large enough to provide reliable electricity to the expanding number of buildings, existing generators are quite old and not large enough to power existing and future needs and the ability to deal with wastewater on the property is becoming an issue. Additionally, much of the expensive equipment in the hospital is susceptible to damage from lightning. These are some of the critical findings from an extensive report on water and electricity.

As a project committee, we feel a bit like Nehemiah assessing what needs to be done to support God’s work and people. We realised that we needed a plan to address major infrastructure deficits in a cost effective and orderly fashion but also in a way that will accommodate the future growth and expansion of the hospital.

To date, EMI has provided the Good News Hospital with an evaluation and some general recommendations. At the end of this month, a three person team of engineers will visit to confirm the findings in the report and provide detailed engineering designs for critical upgrades. With these engineering designs, we will then be able to make plans for how to proceed with the actual work of implementing them. There are many factors to take into account including the existing solar system the future hospital plans.

1. Please pray for our project team as we look at how to best move forward with these upgrades.

2. Please pray for the EMI team as they conduct their assessments and work.

3. Please pray that God would provide financial resources to accomplish the needed upgrades here in Mandritsara.

4. Please pray that these upgrades would encourage the local community and hospital staff as they continue their incredible ministry and testament here.