Albert Schweitzer Hospital
| Albert Schweitzer Hospital | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Gabon |
| History | |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Links | |
| Website | www.schweitzerfellowship.org/chapters/lambarene |
The Albert Schweitzer Hospital was established in 1913 by Albert Schweitzer and Helene Bresslau Schweitzer in Lambaréné, Gabon. Its Medical Research Unit is one of the leading scientific institutions in Africa working to end the scourge of malaria, and also serves as a highly regarded training site for African physicians and scientists.[1]
The hospital is supported by the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, which was founded during 1940 in the United States to support Dr. Schweitzer's medical work in Africa during World War II.[2]
The hospital in Lambaréné, as well as the life and philosophy of Albert Schweitzer, inspired Larry Mellon of the Mellon family fortune to found the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti, in 1956.
Services
The hospital is the primary source of healthcare for the surrounding region since it was founded in 1913. Over 35,000 outpatient visits and more than 6,000 hospitalizations occur annually. Two surgeons and their teams carry out close to 2,200 operations annually. There are 160 members on staff, either Gabonese or expatriate professionals.[3]
Periodic upgrades have been resulted in a modern medical facility.[4] The current facility includes two operating rooms, a dental clinic, and inpatient wards for pediatric, adult medicine, surgical, and obstetrical patients.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has recognized the hospital's research laboratory as one of five leading facilities in Africa engaged in scientific studies of malaria. Children with severe malaria at the Schweitzer Hospital have the lowest documented mortality rate anywhere on the continent.
Diseases like HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis are also a major focus.
References
External links
Coordinates: 0°42′0.99″S 10°14′14.68″E / 0.7002750°S 10.2374111°E