by Edward Mishaud

13 June 2003

Bonn, Germany: When Olexiy Vitte, a radiologist, and his wife Nataliya Vinnytska, a neurology specialist, arrived in Zanzibar, the people of Tanzania's largest island gladly welcomed their expertise. With no doctors working in these fields, thousands of Zanzibaris had no one to consult for the professional medical advice they offer.

Today, the Ukrainian couple is saving lives and improving the skills of local doctors, nurses and other medical staff.

"Every doctor and staff member is proud to have these services available for all local people," says Olexiy. "It's all due to the fact that we showed how vital it is to have people and equipment to diagnose various illnesses and abnormalities."

With a combined 40 years of experience, they have a lot to share with Zanzibar's medical community. Educated in Kiev, they practiced in Ukraine up until the mid-1990s. In 1996, they moved to Sana'a, Yemen where they worked in their respective fields until 2000.

Based out of Mnazi Mmoja State Hospital, the doctors receive patients on a daily basis. At least once a week they meet with doctors and medical staff to give lectures and training sessions in their areas of expertise. They also collaborate with Zanzibar's Ministry of Health to identify further needs and outline learning strategies for the island's medical staff.

Nataliya also works with many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the Zanzibar Association of Disabled People and the gerontology hospital under the Catholic Mission. Additionally, she reaches out to the community by writing a weekly health column in a local Kiswahili newspaper. Through her writing, she teaches basic medical procedures and terminology and stresses the importance of seeing a doctor as soon as symptoms arise.

Early detection is something Olexiy instills in all of his patients, especially pregnant women. Many women arrive at the hospital with major health problems and in most cases it is already too late to help them; ultrasound scans often show that the fetus died of complications. He says simple steps such as consulting with a doctor early in the pregnancy could prevent fetal deaths.

"Traditionally, Zanzibari families have five or more children and women usually carry out all the housework," he says. "Generally, they never visit doctors during early stages of pregnancy, unless they encounter major problems."

Malaria is also a major health issue in Zanzibar and Olexiy and Nataliya strive to educate the population on ways to prevent catching the disease. While much emphasis is placed on treating malaria, Olexiy believes public awareness campaigns are needed to stress the importance of preventive measures, as treatment is not always effective.

"We need to conduct simple, understandable and regular lectures on the local radio which will help uneducated, ordinary people obtain basic knowledge about malaria and prevention of malaria," he says.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria affects 300 million people in more than 100 countries each year. Through the efforts of doctors like Olexiy and Nataliya, it is hoped the spread of the disease will be halted by 2015 - one of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Through her work, Nataliya has seen an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with neurological problems, such as strokes. From her own research, she discovered in 2001 that 16 patients suffered strokes. During the third quarter of 2002, she diagnosed 68 people with acute stroke. She is pleased with the result, as it means her presence is making a difference.

Nataliya's biggest concern now is ensuring the services continue long after she and her husband leave.

"I am the first neurologist in Zanzibar and I hope I am not the last one," she says. "Zanzibar must have a highly-qualified neurologist to take care of ignored groups of the population... We are now taking care of [these] people."