History of the new hospital at Sosé

In 2004, CME's operating theatre in Beni ran from a house down a bumpy road from the hospital wards. The hospital site in Beni was on rented premises and struggled to cope with the number of patients who required treatment as well as being far from ideal in terms of its location. In November 2006, Friends of CME Trust began an appeal to raise money to construct a new hospital site for CME Beni, at nearby Sosé (about 3 miles from the centre of Beni). The £25,000 needed to build the Operating Theatre was raised by the summer of 2007. The next building, an Intensive Care Unit, required £35,000, which we had raised by the beginning of 2009, when its foundations were laid. Over 2010, we raised £15,000 to fund a third building: a Maternity Ward. This was virtually completed by Feb 2011 (scroll down to see the images). CME moved outpatients care to the new site in 2011 and, with the addition of some toilets and a water source, the new hospital site began functioning for in-patients in 2012. The stages of the project are detailed below.

If you would like more information about this project, or to contribute to its ongoing development, please contact us.

April 2013 - Second Hospital Ward at Sosé

We have received funds to help build an additional ward at the new hospital site in Sosé, near Beni. These came mainly from the BIKE100 sponsored ride last summer organised by Dennis Tailor. You may remember that men and women were having to share the main ward and this will solve that problem. Construction started a few weeks ago with the foundations, as can be seen in the pictures (right). More money will be needed to complete the ward so, again, anything you can spare would be hugely appreciated.

November 2012 - Sosé hospital report

The water supply, toilets, kitchen and incinerator have all been completed at the new Sosé hospital site, near Beni, with funds raised for Friends of CME Trust last summer. The move to the new site has not been completely smooth. An unanticipated problem arose from the heavy rains which ruined the road to the hospital (most roads in the DRC are still mud). CME worked in collaboration with the local authorities and using funds we provided was able to re-cut the road (see photo). Some patients are still reluctant to travel the 4km out of Beni town and so numbers are down and the wards have to be shared by men and women, which is not ideal. However, the beds are usually all occupied, as shown in the photo [right] of the new ward at Sosé filled to the brim.

New hospital opens 2012

The new buildings in Sose began to be used for in-patient treatment in 2012 following their use for out patients in 2011. There are now three buildings completed: an operating room, intensive care and maternity ward. Babies are being born at the new hospital and operations carried out as shown by the recent photos.

April 2012 - A water supply for the hospital & local population

A water source has now been capped. The water is pumped to a tank and then provides a supply to the hospital as well as a source for the local population. This work was started in March 2012 and the photos show the progress up to April 2012.

March 2012 - Toilets and a Water Supply at Sosé, Beni

Recent construction work at the new hospital site at Sosé which Friends of CME Trust is helping to fund, includes a block of toilets and the construction and installation of an essential water supply for the hospital. These photos show progress at March 2012.

September 2011 - Maternity construction

Here are the latest photos of the construction of the new maternity building at Sosé, taken mid-Sept.

Two of these photos show the makeshift external toilet and shower cubicles (wooden shacks). Clearly, there is a need for adequate facilities to be constructed on the new site in due course.

February 2011 - Construction at Beni/Sosé

We have now sent a total of £75,000 to CME, which has virtually completed the three buildings needed as the base for the hospital to move. CME has set a date of 1st June 2011 for the move. This will be a fantastic achievement with the operating theatre, intensive care unit and maternity ward being purpose built. It will also free up monies currently used on renting 3 properties in the town of Beni. However, the move poses challenges since the site is 5km out of town. Transportation will be an issue, as will a reliable drinking water supply, an adequate sewerage system and some housing for doctors/nurses who will need to be on call for patient care and to provide security. CME still needs to find about £20,000 to meet these additional needs. So if you would like to and are able to help, please contact us!

February 2011 - Construction at Beni/Sosé

October 2010: Maternity Ward Building

Work is well underway on the third of the new Hospital buildings at Sose, outside Beni - the Maternity Ward (see photos on the right). Sadly the price of cement has recently increased drastically, meaning further funds are required to finish the work (£15,000 remains outstanding). While electricity will be coming from a generator, a reliable mains water supply and rain water collection system are still being sought.

May 2010: Hospital Site Rebuilding

CME has continued to rebuild its 3 hospital sites.

In Nyankunde Samaritans Purse are helping with the renovations.
In Bunia the maternity ward is under construction.
At Beni we have funded the construction of new operating theatre and intensive care buildings. We need another £15,000 to complete the maternity and then allow the re-location of the hospital.

In July, about 100 people are doing a Triathlon to raise money for the maternity. If you would like to sponsor this fundraiser, please get in touch. Thank you to those who have helped already with giving towards these buildings.

Summer 2009: Building the new Intensive Care Unit building

These photos show the construction of the new CME Intensive Care building. This is building number two for the new hospital site at Sose, near Beni. The photos include images of brick production, the foundations and a nearly completed building!

May 2008: Initial work building the new Operating Theatre in Beni

I am really pleased to be able to send you some photos of the initial work in building the operating room in Beni, DRC. The construction began at the beginning of December.

A fixed price construction contract has now been signed for $42,000 to build the room. Since our appeal has raised in excess of £25,000, we will be able to contribute to the costs of the second building - an Intensive Care Unit - which CME want to build to build alongside the operating room.

Thank you again for helping to raising the funds necessary. These pictures have certainly encouraged me and I hope you feel a sense of achievement and hope too for the people of north east DRC as we start 2008. There are still around 1,000 dying each day in this region mainly through lack of medical care as the continuing aftermath of the years of civil war.

May 2007: Beni Operating theatre

We want to help build an operating theatre in Beni on land that CME own. The building has been designed by CME and will replace the town house that they currently rent as a makeshift theatre. The design is for two main operating rooms and one for minor ops. There is a laundry, office, waiting room, two preparation rooms and a stock room. The total cost of the theatre will be £25,000. I am sure you will agree that this is a relatively small sum considering the immense value that the building will bring to the community. Since we launched the appeal, CME has obtained planning permission to build and we have received over £15,000 from a number of donors. Thank you so much to all of you who have helped raise this. The political situation has remained stable in north east DRC and so we have already sent the £15,000 to CME. However, we really don’t want them to start but not be able to complete the theatre. Would you be able to help or help more if you already have?

For more information about the operating theatre see: