Headquarters | Paramaribo |
---|---|
Chairperson | C.N. Rozenblad |
Managing director | E.D. van Eer |
Website | medischezending |
Medische Zending Primary Health Care Suriname, commonly known as Medische Zending (Dutch for "medical mission") or MZ is a Surinamese charitable organization offering primary healthcare to remote villages in the interior of Suriname.
The history of Medische Zending began on 3 October 1740 with J. Franz Reynier. Reynier, a medical doctor and missionary, and his wife came to Suriname on behalf of the Moravian Church. The purpose was not just to be a missionary, but also to provide medical health care including operations. [1]
Medische Zending was established in 1765 when Ludwig Christiaan Dehne, Rudolf Stoll, and Thomas Jones established a base near the Suriname River which became the first clinic. [2] The evangelism efforts started to decline with the British seizing of the Dutch colonies during the Napoleonic Wars and ended in 1808, [3] however the first hospital remained operational until 1817. [1] It wasn't until 1919 when a outpatient clinic was founded at Botopasi. [1]
On 2 Januari 1974, the foundation Medizebs was established to continue the work of the Church and to transfer Medische Zending to the Ministry of Health. [2]
Medische Zending operates 52 primary healthcare centres in the Surinamese interior: [4]
Sipaliwini is the largest district of Suriname, located in the south. Sipaliwini is the only district that does not have a regional capital, as it is directly administered by the national government in Paramaribo.
Corneliskondre is a village in Suriname, located in the Boven Coppename resort of Sipaliwini District. It has a population of 70 as of 2020, and is inhabited by indigenous people of the Kalina tribe.
Kwamalasamutu, also Kwamalasamoetoe, is a Tiriyó Amerindian village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname, and home to the granman of the northern Trios. Kwamalasamutu is the biggest village of the Tiriyó tribe.
Kawemhakan, formerly also known as Anapaikë, is a Wayana village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village lies on the banks of the Lawa River, which forms the border with French Guiana.
Apoera, also Apura, is a town in western Suriname. The village has a population of 777 people as of 2020. It is the final destination of the Southern East-West Link. 24 kilometres (15 mi) north-west on the other side of the Courantyne River lies the Guyanese village of Orealla. The village is home to the Lokono tribe, but has been westernized. Due to the influx of people of Guyana, the languages used are English, and Sranan Tongo. Dutch is rarely spoken and the native language has all but disappeared. According to the oral tradition, Apoera was founded around 1920 by the Gordon family.
Aurora is a town in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname on the Upper Suriname River. Aurora is a tribal village, and has a twin village called Nieuw Aurora which was built as an extension. The village is home to Maroons of the Saramaka tribe.
Witagron is a Kwinti village in Suriname on the Coppename River at the crossing of the Southern East-West Link from Paramaribo to Apoera in West-Suriname.
Pokigron is a town in Suriname located on the Upper Suriname River near the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is located in the Boven Suriname municipality (resort) in the Sipaliwini District. It has a population of approximately 400 people in 2018. Pokigron is located at the end of a paved road via Brownsweg to the Afobakaweg. Pokigron is often referred to as Atjoni which is the nearby quay, and literally the end of the road. Villages to the South of Pokigron have to be accessed by boat. The village is home to Maroons of the Saramaka tribe.
Pelelu Tepu is an Amerindian village in the hinterland of Suriname. Also known as "Pe'reru Tepu", the village is typically referred to simply as "Tepu," which mean "high" in the Indian Tiriyó language. The village is located on Tepu hill, on the Tapanahoni River. Though inhabited by Amerindian tribes indigenous to the area, the village was founded by Christian missionaries and (primarily) Tiriyó Indians, although it now also includes small numbers of Wayana and Akuriyo Indians. The village has a tribal organization, led by a Trio Captain.
Klaaskreek is a resort in Suriname, located in the Brokopondo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 2,124. Located northeast of Brokopondo, the main town is Reinsdorp. In 2007, a technical training centre in biological agriculture was established at Klaaskreek to teach locals about enhancing agriculture in the area.
Marshallkreek is a resort in Suriname, located in the Brokopondo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 1,171. The resort and town are named after Captain Marshall who first settled Suriname in 1630.
Paloemeu or Palumeu is an Amerindian village in the interior of Suriname, situated at the site where the Paloemeu River joins the Tapanahoni River. Most inhabitants of the village are native Tiriyó Amerindians. The remainder belongs to the Wayana, and Aparai tribes. The Bosatlas in 1968 identified the village as Pepejoe which was incorrect according to the New West Indian Guide.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that Suriname is fulfilling 78.4% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income. When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Suriname achieves 94.0% of what is expected based on its current income. In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 83.2% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. Suriname falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 57.9% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.
Botopasi Airstrip, is an airstrip serving Botopasi, Suriname.
Langatabiki is a Paramacca village in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. Langatabiki is the residence of the granman of the Paramaccan people. Langatabiki is located in the Pamacca resort which was created on 11 September 2019 out of Tapanahony.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Suriname was caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Suriname on 13 March 2020. The case was a person who travelled from the Netherlands the previous week. On 3 April 2020, one person died. On 3 May 2020, all nine cases had recovered. On 18 May, an eleventh case was identified.
Stoelmanseiland is an island, and a village in the Paramacca resort of the Sipaliwini District. It is located at the confluence of the Tapanahony River with the Lawa River which forms the Marowijne River, and is also the border with French Guiana.
Paramacca is a resort in Suriname, located in the Sipaliwini District. The population is estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 people. In 1983, the Sipaliwini District was created, and the eastern part became the resort of Tapanahony. The Paramacca resort is the northern part of Tapanahony, and mainly inhabited by the Paramaccan people, the border of the resorts is the island of Bofoo Tabiki in the Marowijne River.
Kalebaskreek is an indigenous village of Kalina Amerindians in the resort of Calcutta in the Saramacca District in Suriname.
Nason is a village of Paramacca Maroons in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The village is located on an island in the Marowijne River.