Bere Adventist Hospital, Chad

Bere Adventist Hospital is located in Tandjilé province, Central Tandjilé department, about 400 kilometers southwest of N’Djamena, Chad.

Founding of the Institution

Bere Adventist Hospital was founded by a Swiss missionary, Pastor Alois Sturm, in 1973.¹ It was originally established as Bere Medical Station. Pastor Albert Bodenmann was the president of Chad Mission at the time.² The medical station changed to a dispensary in 1976, after the construction of a new building (1974-1975). In 1996 the institution was classified by the local government of Chad as a district hospital, becoming the district hospital for the Baktchchroro district, in the Tandjilé prefecture. A district hospital covers an area populated by at least two million people.

Further Development

From 1985 to 1990, because of the political instability in Chad, foreigners were forced to leave the country and the hospital was entrusted to the Chadian registered nurse, Komdona Rigobert. In 1990, when the country was stable, Dr. Kip Peter, from Germany, came to Chad and provided health services in Bere. He was replaced in 1994 by Dr. Nda’a André from Cameroon. He supervised the health activities in Bere from the Adventist Hospital of Koza in the far north Cameroon.³

In 2002 a General Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Chadian Ministry of Public Health and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After this document was signed, the Seventh-day Adventist Church handed over the management of the health institution to the NGO, Adventist Health International (AHI), with headquarters at Loma Linda University, based in the United States. In 2005 a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between the government of the Republic of Chad and the non-governmental organization, Adventist Health International, was signed.⁴

In 2017 Adventist Health Training School was established on the premises of the hospital. The school has been recognized by the government of Chad by Order No. 296 / PR / MSP / DG / DRHF / SDF / SGF / 18. The programs operated by the school are: State Registered Nurse / Midwife (IDE / SFDE), and Technical Health Agents (ATS). Each program takes three years to complete. The aim of the school is to provide basic education and vocational training and to provide a sustained technical effort in human resources as needed by hospital institutions. The school has a future, provided that the founding organization invests more in infrastructure and human resources for its proper functioning. “Our wish is for the school to be recognized by the Central Africa Union Mission.”⁵ Some students have already graduated as part of the first class and have been recruited by the three health institutions at Bere, Moundou, and Abougoudam (Abéché).⁶

Today the hospital has a capacity for 104 beds and has the following departments: medicine, surgery, pediatric, and maternity. The hospital is frequented by Muslims, Christians, and other faith communities. These communities come from Chad and from Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Rwanda.

Historical Role

The institution has played an important role in the society. It was the first Seventh-day Adventist medical institution to be established in Chad, and in the district of Bere. The hospital has a social impact in the district for it is the only hospital that provides medical care to the area. Each year the hospital receives an average of 2,000 patients.

Outlook

The hospital works in partnership with the local SDA mission. It supports the evangelistic programs of the local church in Bere and those of the mission. Many people have been baptized through the ministry of the Bere Adventist hospital.⁷

Names of Institution

The institution has changed names three times to reflect its changing status. These include:

Bere Medical Station (1973); Dispensary of Bere (1976); Bere Adventist Hospital (1996).

Names of Leaders

Dr. Helio Rokumback (1976-1977); Dr. Philippe Mory (1977-1979); Dr. Kussele Marc (1979-1980); Dr. Eric Clerk (1980-1983); Dr. Garsin Michel (1983-1984); Nurse Glanz Petra (1985); Komdona Rigobert (1985-1990); Dr. Kip Peter (1990-1994); Dr. Ali Samsia and Dr. Diontilo Jacques; Dr. Franklin Thompson (1990-1999); Dr. Claver Nash (2000-2004); Dr. James Apple Eric (2005-2009); Dr. Olen Netteburg (2010-present).

Sources

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Notes

1. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, “Chad Mission,” accessed February 10, 2022, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1973,74.pdf.

2. Ibid.↩

3. Foksouna Benjamin, Béré Adventist Hospital, interview by the author, November 27, 2021.↩

4. Samedi Deying Michel, retired nurse of Béré Adventist Hospital, interview by the author, Béré, Chad, December 15, 2019.↩

5. Wangkel Jacques, former mission president, interviewed by the author, N’Djamena, Chad, December 6, 2019.↩

6. Betsaleel Moulngari, interviewed by the author, N’Djamena, Chad, December 6, 2019.↩

7. Samedi Deying Michel, retired nurse of Béré Adventist Hospital, interview by the author, Béré, Chad, December 15, 2019.↩