New Lab Building To Meet Increased Demands

Progress on the Mwandi Hospital's new laboratory facility has moved quickly since our last report. Interior walls have been constructed and plastered. Window and door openings are being measured, and installations of these fixtures will follow soon. Electrical wiring is in progress, and the Terrazzo floor team will begin laying the floors in the near future. In addition, a subcontractor recently completed measurements for all laboratory cabinet countertops. These countertops will be prepared off-site and installed after completion of the Terrazzo floors. Most pictures attached to this report were taken during the last week and illustrate the impressive progress that has been made on the building's interiors. The pictures show:

1. The long corridor running through the building with interior doors to rooms that will house a variety of analytical functions and will improve the hospital staffs abilities to diagnose and treat patients.
2. An earlier view of the corridor showing progress made on the plastered walls.
3. A contractor making final measurements in preparation for the installation of windows and doors.
4. A view toward the corridor from the interior of a lab room being constructed in the building.
5. An electrician working on wiring for the building.
6. A recent exterior view of the laboratory building with the added roof.

In summary, significant progress on this new facility has been made since our last report which described the site excavation. If all goes smoothly, the major construction should be completed in January and the finishes (paint, furnishings, etc.) will be completed in time to allow staff to move into the facility in February. The American Partners are grateful, as always, to our donors who have enabled the construction of this up-to-date laboratory facility with Level 2 diagnostic capabilities. We hope to share great pictures of a completed laboratory building in our next report.

The construction of the hospital's new Laboratory building began this past week. Several large trees were removed and burned. Then the ground was cleared, and the building footprint was defined and marked. Excavation of the footings for the building's walls is now complete as illustrated in the attached photographs. Once the footings are laid, the slab will be poured and allowed to cure. The block work for the walls and rooms will then begin. It is anticipated that the construction of the walls will reach the roofing level by September. The pictures included in this report show stages of the excavation where the footings will be placed.