Award from the Welkite Branch of the Ethiopian Medical Association
We are delighted to hear that Dr Sister Rita Schiffer has received another award for her work at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary Hospital in Attat, Ethiopia (hereafter Attat Hospital) - this time on International Women’s Day 2024. The doctors in Attat region, that is to say, the Welkite branch of the Ethiopian Medical Association, made the award to show their appreciation of the invaluable medical services that Sister Rita provides to hospital patients, living in and around Attat.
Sister Rita has been the Medical Director at the hospital for 26 years. Last year, she worked alongside the hospital’s management team to coordinate services for 100,000 outpatients, to admit 10,000 inpatients and to ensure 3,300 safe deliveries in the maternity unit. She is also stepping up services for women with pelvic organ prolapses by performing 800 operations in one year.
A general renovation and extension of the hospital ten years ago gives her and her medical team more space to work.
Previously, Sister Rita was awarded the Else Kröner Fresenius Award for Development Cooperation in Medicine 2022 for Sustainable Surgical Care in Attat. She was selected for this award because of the quality of the basic surgical care that is being provided for emergencies in the obstetrical and gynaecological sectors in a rural setting in Ethiopia.
This short video introduces you to Attat Hospital and some of its patients:
Many congratulations to Sister Rita!