UMCOR / Our Work / Health / Hospitals / Kissy Hospital / History

History of Kissy United Methodist Hospital

1974

UMC Health and Maternity Center, Kissy was founded as a health clinic by the Swedish UMC. The clinic was built as an addition to an existing UMC church building in the Freetown community of Kissy.


1980s


The health center's situation was poor: there was no running water, eight under qualified staff members and, the hospital received no more than five outpatients a day for outpatient care.


1993


A new matron was hired.


1995


Dr. Dennis Marke, supported by the Indiana Conference in the US, was asked to join the hospital to facilitate its turnaround.


Today


Kissy Clinic, as it was once known, has turned into a 60-bed hospital with more than 50 people on staff, including four doctors, nurses, midwives, aides, as well as administrative staff and grounds keepers. The hospital now has a maternity ward and laboratory to extend its services as well as a child nutrition program and HIV-testing and counseling center.