ACMA aims to support charitable works as a practical expression of our commitment to Faith in Action.
The Lumezi St Joseph College of Nursing and Midwifery in Zambia Central Africa is one such project.
ACMA events will provide the opportunity to raise funds for this wonderful project
If you are interested in supporting or the opportunity to volunteer (when Covid-19 permits) please email us at admin@catholicmedicine.org or contact Dr Mark Hanley directly at mark.hanley@nd.edu.au
The nursing college will support staff for the local St Joseph Lumezi Hospital, Zambia
PALMS is currently seeking to recruit a nurse and doctor to volunteer at the hospital
See this link https://palms.org.au/opportunity/medical-doctor-and-nurse-in-lumezi-zambia/
We are also hoping to replicate the Lily-Rose Antenatal clinic based in Coffs Harbour which supports a pro-life approach to pregnant women needing support
The story of Lumezi St Joseph’s College of nursing and midwifery, Zambia
Bishop George Lungu and Fr Jacob Zulu of Zambia long had a dream of opening a Catholic Nursing School for the young people in Eastern Zambia.
In 2018, Fr Jacob visited Sydney where he met Dr Mark Hanley, a CMA member, GP, and educator from the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame. Fr Jacob was given a tour of the Notre Dame School of Medicine/Nursing Campus. He took many ideas from this trip, including the amazing simulation wards and the ‘Blessing of the Hands’ Ceremony
In mid-2019 the St Joseph Lumezi Nursing School was opened. Dr Mark has had the opportunity to visit Zambia and has been supporting the ongoing establishment of the school through practical donations of textbooks, equipment and direct funds. The blessing of the Hands ceremony is now part of life for first-year nursing students at St Joseph’s Lumezi.
Fast forward to 2021, and, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the nursing school continues to expand and is proving to be extremely popular, with young men and women from every Zambian Province applying for enrolment.
Fr Jacob and Bishop George have even bigger dreams, to push forward with the development of a Medical School, and ultimately a Catholic University.
“I know God will guide this work with or without me, but it is exciting seeing what a huge difference a little support can make. My previous military work employed the term ‘force multipliers’ and foreign currency is amazingly powerful for building construction in Zambia. So far we have raised over $12000, and this has built 1 large lecture theatre and two girls' dormitories for students living on campus. There is so much potential with a young population, but also the challenges facing these young students are unlike anything in Australia. The opportunities for collaboration in the future are clear.”
The College works with the St Joseph Lumezi District Hospital
This hospital is run by 32 nurses and 5 religious sisters. One of those includes the only permanent surgeon, Sister Mary Jemma who provides all the obstetric, gynaecology, orthopaedic and general surgery for the 160-bed hospital.
Her Convent is also home to the Hospital Physician, the Hospital Director, the Nursing Unit Manager and the Paediatrician. The hospital covers territory to the east as far as the Malawi border and has a population of 160,000 people. A Catholic-run high school for the district now has many of its senior school students dreaming of studying nursing, and for the very brightest and most dedicated this is now becoming a possibility.
Dr Hanley; “Watching these women and their generous and unwavering faith in action now, it is no surprise to learn that some of the giant flagship hospitals of Australia, known internationally as centres for excellence and research, were originally started with the dedication of Catholic Nuns like Sr Mary Jemma.”
To learn more please visit their facebook page