Introduction
Population
Diseases
History of the hospitals
Austrian Government support
Building and Rehabilitation Program
The Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha
The Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha is situated in the Northern part of Tanzania. The Archdiocese of Arusha covers 6 districts.
Arusha and Manyara regions population is 1,408,972. The districts in Arusha region are Arusha municipal, Arumeru, Monduli
and Ngorongoro in Manyara region are Kiteto and Simajiro.
Arusha is the third largest town in Tanzania having a population of 282,712 inhabitants at the last census in 2002. Arusha
is situated at the foot of Mount Meru and is an important centre of activity in Northern Tanzania. The International Conference
Centre, the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda, tourism, business connections and industrial activities attract many
people from various backgrounds and tribes to the area. Some areas in the town are very overcrowded, with poor living conditions,
housing and sanitation. Several projects are targeted towards street dwellers, street children and orphans.
The surrounding volcanic areas and savannas are inhabited by Maasai speaking non-Bantu population, with a dominantly pastoralist
lifestyle. The main source of wealth and income derives from cattle. Some agriculture has been introduced recently.
The Archdiocese of Arusha Medical Board is the highest authority in the Archdiocese concerning all health related issues.
It has a role in the establishment of health policies and safeguarding of essential values for church health services.
The Archdiocese of Arusha Health Board has three big hospitals being Wasso , Endulen and
St. Elizabeth and other related projects i.e. Handicap rehabilitation centre, HIV Aids project , CBHC
Programme, Health Centres and Dispensaries.
The Ngorongoro District
The Ngorongoro District is situated in the eastern part of the Serengeti National Park, and covers an area of about 15.000
km². It is divided in three divisions - Loliondo, Sale and Ngorongoro.
The infrastructure of the district is very poor - road maintenance is nearly non existent. This renders health services
difficult and expensive. Aircraft and strong four wheel drive vehicles are needed to provide remote villages with even a
minimum of medical care.
Population
The district population is estimated to be 113.638 (1988 census).
There is a low population density of about 8 per sq.km. (Average in Tanzania is 30 per sq.km.)
Pastoralism is dominating, while crop production is very limited due to wildlife policy (about 60% of the district falls
under the prevailing jurisdiction of the autonomous Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority - NCAA) and unfavourable climatic
conditions with low rainfall.
People living in the area must travel far outside to get basic needs since small traders are not allowed. The policy favours
wildlife conservation and the requirements of the inhabitants becomes a secondary issue. Travelling from Wasso to the 400
km distant regional town of Arusha mostly over rough roads or mere tracks takes a full day.
About 85% of the district population belong to the Maasai, a semi-nomadic pastoralist tribe. Despite seemingly large stocks
of cattle, the per capita income of the Maasai is very low.
About 12% are Batemi, agriculturists with traditional irrigation systems. Most of them live in the fertile Sonjo valley.
The remaining minority are of mixed tribal origin living in Loliondo and the few major villages including Wasso.
The per capita income is about USD 112 per year, with the main sources of income being pastoralism, trade, tourism and agriculture.
 
Maasai and Batemi
Diseases
The most common diseases treated in the hospitals are Malaria, acute respiratory infections (including pneumonia), Diarrhoea,
Tuberculosis and Anaemia. Sexually transmittted diseases and especially HIV/AIDS are a serious, and increasing, threat.
Eye infections are frequent due to indoor cooking and heating using firewood. A lot of flies as well as the dry and dusty
climate facour infection of Trachoma. In all age groups Malaria has been the leading cause of admission to hospital.
Livestock linked diseases, including Brucellosis as well as Anthrax, especially affect the Maasai pastoralists.
History of the hospitals
Dr. Herbert Watschinger, Austrian catholic priest and medical doctor, founded Wasso Hospital as
a mission hospital in 1964. He later founded Endulen Hospital in the south of the district in
1975, and the Dispensary at Digodigo (1973) in the densely populated Sonjo valley.
Until recently Wasso and Endulen Hospitals
were the only hospitals in the district. Funds and donations in kind originated mainly from private and church related sources
in Austria, including the Dr. Watschinger Foundation.
Dr. Watschinger died after nearly 40 years of dedicated work for the people of the area in 1991.
Austrian Government support
Since 1991 the Austrian Government provided and still provides funding for the hospitals within the bilateral development
co-operation of Austria and Tanzania. As implementing and monitoring agency on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republik of Austria acted the Austroprojekt GmbH based
in Vienna.
The funds of the Austrian Government covered not only the major part of the current expenditure but also a comprehensive
rehabilitation programme for the hospital buildings, the construction of new buildings, the installation of a new water and
sewerage system as well as solar energy supply systems and the purchase of basic hospital equipment.
The hospitals are now entering a new phase in its history with the implementation of the national policies of decentralisation
and health sector reform in Ngorongoro District. After a decade of financing and monitoring, the Austrian Government is planning
to reduce its financial support. Therefore, the Archdiocese of Arusha, owners of the two hospitals, is looking for complimentary
funds from other donors.
Building & rehabilitation program
The comprehensive rehabilitation programme of Wasso and Endulen Hospital started in 1997.
The main objective of the programme was to improve the infrastructure of the hospitals thoroughly and to provide the departments
with basic but modern equipment in good quality and sufficient quantity.
The scope of the rehabilitation program was wide, comprising of the construction of new buildings, the rehabilitation of
the existing buildings, the refurbishment of the sewerage and the solid waste disposal and the installation of a new water
supply system and of solar energy supply systems.
The inaugaration of the newly rehabilitated buildings of Wasso and Endulen Hospitals, celebrated in January 2001, marked
a decisive step in the history of the integrated health projects in the Ngorongoro District.
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