Looking Ahead to 2026 wonderful news of a medical clinic

The ZAHANA association is delighted to share with all of you, our donors, benefactors, supporters, and future patrons - the joy we have experienced thanks to your invaluable assistance in implementing our socio-economic support program for the population of four villages in the municipality of Bevato, now for 2 decades.

This page is wonderful to write, because a medical clinic will benefit all communities in our area and have a great impact on all projects in our 4 Zahana villages as well.

Our joy is shared by the municipal authorities and the local population, who are delighted to have been awarded funding for a medical clinic. For the first time there will be a clinic equipped with a laboratory, a dental clinic, delivery rooms, and the necessary equipment for essential surgery.

This new clinic, funded by a French NGO as the result of ZAHANA's cooperation with them for years now, has the stated goal of accelerating the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in the area. This is already the second health facility established in our region thanks to the Zahana Association. The first clinic in the village of Fiadanana has been in operation for a decade now (see website) and is run by our midwife. With a strong focus on maternal health, she has become the main healthcare provider in the area. But currently, people still needed to take a difficult 5-hour journey to the next city if they required hospitalization or specialized medical care or want to see a doctor.

It should be noted that this is no longer just and idea. The construction project already is a work in progress, with the four walls surrounding the premises (24m x 12m) and those separating the various rooms (12 rooms in total) already at ceiling height at the time of this writing.

To make this happen, the community is providing the land, gravel, rubble stone, sand, planks, and logs. All literally carried to the construction site by men and women from the community. The actual construction work is being done by local workers, supervised by technical managers from the municipality in cooperation with the Zahana Association. One can imagine the enthusiasm and uniqueness of the end-of-year celebrations for the people of Bevato, who soon will have access to the very own medical clinic that will serve the entire district. The government will pay the salaries of the medical staff and the mayor will be in charge of janitors and caretakers (gardeners)

This wonderful prospect will greatly benefit from an annex building for the patient’s companions. It still needs to be constructed after the clinic is finished. This novel idea to provide housing for relatives is vital, since the community has no hotels or accommodations for outside visitors. In addition the companions are included in the medical care and have to cook and provide food. This essential annex building will have three rooms, a bathroom and a small kitchen. It is currently estimated to measure 8 meters by 6 meters. We are in the fortunate position that the French NGO also offered to pay to build this the much needed clinic addition.

Looking into the future, it is equally important that the new clinic be equipped with a car that will serve as an ambulance because, as the saying by our local doctors goes: “the woman will always have time to die on the way to us!” On the used car market, a car sturdy enough for the local terrain would be a Toyota Land Cruiser. The office of mayor will be tasked with the the upkeep and maintenance of the vehicle, while the fuel needed is charged to the clients. Like in other towns in Madagascar, the driver is a government employee.