HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY FROM FAME
Women are the majority of patients we treat at FAME, making up 63% of the total patient visits in 2022. FAME invests heavily in women's comprehensive healthcare services including reproductive health services such as preventative care, prenatal and postnatal care, family planning and obstetric and gynecological care.
This year, on International Women’s Day, we highlight three female FAME healthcare workers committed and dedicated to their work. These women have worked at FAME for over a decade. They understand the unique needs of the women in our catchment area and provide culturally sensitive and gender-responsive care.
Dr. Anne Ghati has been at FAME for 11 years and Nurses Siana N’kya and Safiniel Mbwambo have been at FAME for 15 years. Siana and Safi were the first nurses hired at FAME, back when it was just a mobile clinic and they have been a part of FAME’s growth over the years. In the spirit of International Women's Day, we talked to each of them about the services FAME offers for women, the importance and impact of offering these services, and why FAME is a wonderful place for women to work.
Dr. Anne Ghati- FAME NEUROLOGIC focal DOCTOR
Dr. Anne Ghati.
Dr. Ghati talks to a new mother at FAME’s RCH.
Dr. Anne Ghati (left) pictured with Nurse Safi (right). FAME 2012.
Dr. Ghati is FAME’s focal neurologist and is also involved in obstetrics and gynecology at FAME.
After working in Dar es Salaam for a few years, she experienced a growing dissatisfaction with city life and sought something different. That's when she stumbled upon a FAME job advert.
“The advert said a female doctor would be an added advantage, so I quickly applied. I’m glad I did because working at FAME has been a dream! FAME’s support for women’s health and well-being is unmatched. In our catchment area, gender inequality often dangerously impacts women’s access to healthcare. Cultural and social norms prevent women from seeking healthcare services, particularly for reproductive health issues. FAME continues to address these barriers and create a healthcare system that is equitable and accessible to all, and I’m very proud to be part of this.”
Dr. Ghati believes that education is essential for addressing gender inequality in healthcare. By increasing education and awareness, FAME empowers women to take control of their health and break down barriers to accessing care.
“FAME offers more than healthcare. We always talk to our patients, advise them and teach them to make informed decisions about their bodies and healthcare needs. We also work to reduce the stigma surrounding many women’s health issues in our catchment area.”
Dr. Ghati also notes that the increased female presence in the healthcare workforce is important as women have been historically underrepresented in many healthcare professions, including medicine and nursing. She is proud that 48 percent of the employees at FAME are women and is hopeful that education will help promote gender equality by challenging gender stereotypes and discriminatory practices.
Siana Nkya, FAME’s Head of Emergency Department
Nurse Siana Nkya.
Nurse Siana during FAME’s first Mobile Clinic to Lake Eyasi, September, 2009.
Nurse Siana (right) with Nurse Safi (left). FAME 2009.
Nurse Siana during one of FAME’s mobile clinics in 2010.
“One of the things I love about FAME is that we are always coming up with new programs to ensure that the women in our area have access to quality healthcare. The Maternity Center and Reproductive Child Health (RCH) Clinic continue to be instrumental in reducing complications during birth by providing quality prenatal and postnatal care. What started as simple rooms are now fully equipped departments supporting nearly 850 deliveries every year. Our Special Care Nursery, the only one of its kind in our district, helps save the lives of premature babies without having to refer them miles away. Cervical cancer screenings have also been a helpful addition to our program, as we see more rising cervical cancer cases at FAME. FAME doctors and nurses received training on treating and detecting cervical cancer in 2017 and 2018, which has been a huge help”
Siana, a mother, says that balancing a career in healthcare and motherhood can be challenging.
“At FAME, all genders have equal access to opportunities, resources and treatment. The men do not get any preferential treatment! When I went on maternity leave, I wasn’t worried that my career development would stall. FAME was very supportive and I am very grateful for this; not all women have the luxury to take maternity leave and not have it affect their career.”
Siana talks about how gender inequality impedes women’s access to healthcare.
“Our catchment area is primarily patriarchal and women are often scared of admitting they are sick lest they be seen as lazy. They are expected to prioritize their domestic responsibilities over their health. In the past, when the men brought the women to FAME, they insisted on explaining their interpretation of her condition to the doctors. Another challenge has been that women would never say anything about their private parts in front of men, so they tend to lie about their condition. FAME has dealt with these problems by hiring translators of different local dialects, so we don’t have to rely on spouses to translate and politely ask them to wait outside. This has worked well, and more women are opening up about their health problems.”
FAME continues to educate women on health issues through the local radio station programs where our doctors discuss common problems affecting women’s health. FAME also uses the television screens at the Outpatient Clinic and RCH waiting rooms to educate the women as they pick up a lot of information while waiting to see the doctor.
Siana explains that there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of healthcare for women.
“Despite the progress FAME has made in the last 15 years in providing quality healthcare to women, there is still room for improvement and expansion. As our catchment area grows, FAME needs to be able to handle the healthcare needs of these women who would otherwise have limited to no access to these kinds of services.”
Safi - FAME Nurse, Ward 1
Nurse Safiniel Mbwambo, affectionately known as Safi!
Nurse Safi, FAME 2010.
From Left: Nurse Siana, Nurse Safi and Nurse Patricia have a quick lunch on one of FAME’s mobile clinics in 2010.
“I am very proud that FAME prioritizes women’s healthcare. Sometimes in our catchment area, we see men being healthy while the women are neglected and some even suffer from adult malnutrition. FAME works with local media to educate men on the importance of women’s health, as it is critical for the development and well-being of their families and communities.”
A program that Safi is very proud of is FAME’s outreach program to work hand in hand with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA).
“We have had many cases of women giving birth at home and when complications occur, the TBAs do not have the skill to handle it and by the time the woman is brought to FAME, she has lost too much blood. Sometimes, the women suffer from severe anemia due to home births. Working with TBAs, FAME provides them with the necessary knowledge and skills to help women come to FAME for prenatal care and to help identify high risk conditions for pregnancy. They are also taught to recognize signs of complications and the importance of early referral to a medical facility to reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.”
Safi reflects on the developments that FAME has made in women's health. She sees FAME’s surgical department as changing women's lives in our catchment area. The well-equipped operating rooms and trained personnel provide emergency obstetric care such as cesarean section delivery, which may be necessary to save the mother's life in case of complications during delivery. FAME’s operating room has also been instrumental in managing gynecological conditions such as ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids, which require surgical intervention.
Editor’s Note: Special Thanks to FAME’s Caroline Epe who provided all the throwback pictures! Asante Sana.
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