Did you know that doctors in Tanzania are now using FEMM?
In 2022, FEMM medical provider Dr. Danielle Koestner made a trip to Mwanza, Tanzania to introduce FEMM medical management protocols in the OB/GYN department at the Burgando Medical Centre. Dr. Koestner taught 20 doctors the FEMM protocols, ensured that the FEMM app was translated into Swahili, and taught patients how to use the FEMM app to chart their biomarkers.
This past year, Tanzanian physicians picked up where Dr. Koestner left off, sharing FEMM protocols with even more doctors and patients in their country.
Dr. Godfrey Kato Kaizilege and Dr. Sandra Ramiya were among the doctors who first learned about FEMM from Dr. Koestner. Excited at the chance to deepen their knowledge of reproductive health and endocrinology, they attended FEMM’s 2023 masterclass in Columbus, Ohio.
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After returning home, Dr. Kaizilege and Dr. Ramiya held a FEMM masterclass for 43 OB/Gyn residents at Bugando Medical Center. They also created a FEMM club and an app group for specialists and residents to present cases for discussion.
Both physicians have used what they’ve learned from FEMM to successfully treat many of their own patients.
Dr. Kaizilege shares the story of a patient who was infertile for years and had irregular periods and extremely long cycles of 50 -70 days (during which time she was not ovulating). Using FEMM protocols, Dr. Kaizilege discovered that the patient had very high levels of the hormone prolactin. He prescribed medication and lifestyle modifications to address this hormonal imbalance, and after three months of a regular menstrual cycle, the woman was able to conceive.
Dr. Kaizilege has plans to further integrate FEMM/RHRI into Bugando Medical Centre’s resident program. He also wants to create a lecture on FEMM topics for the 200 medical students who do a rotation in the Centre’s obstetrics and gynecology department every year. Dr. Kaizilege has his sights set on sharing FEMM with nearby medical centers and hospitals as well.
Dr. Ramiya, meanwhile, has moved to the Kitete Regional Hospital in Tabora province, where she continues to share her knowledge of FEMM with OB/Gyn physicians. Additionally, she teaches her patients and nurses how to monitor their health using the FEMM app.
Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Ramiya and Dr. Kaizilege, the future of women’s healthcare in Tanzania is bright!
FEMM Staff Writer, March 2024
