The Nora Sturges Health Centre in Lobito, Angola was opened in August 2003 by Bishop Graham Dow in memory of his late mother-in-law who was a doctor. Lobito is a busy port on the Atlantic Coast, near Benguela and around 300km south of the capital Luanda.

The Centre is run by Revd Antonio Domingos who is also a provincial inspector for health. It has 6 other members of staff and offers health provision to many who live in the area of Esperanca in Lobito municipality. The centre is overseen by Mr Silva Jose from the Angolan Diocese Department for Community Development Projects. The healthcare system in Angola is struggling and the population faces huge health challenges of malaria, cholera, yellow fever, HIV and with chronic shortages of clinics, hospitals and trained staff. Despite its wealth Angola still has one of the highest infant mortality rates and one of the world’s lowest life expectancies.

Although the Health Centre receives no support from the Angolan government and its only income is gifts from the UK, it does all it can to make a difference in this area of Lobito. But if it is to be effective it needs a reliable income on a monthly basis to pay for staff wages, drugs, medical supplies. After an independent review of the clinic in autumn 2016 showing that the clinic needed more support, training, resources and funding to better meet the needs of the local people, it began a refurbishment supported by MANNA and was recently re-opened.

The next part of the plans for the clinic is to extend the existing pharmacy so it can sell drugs and medicines to the public and this income will help to enable the clinic to pay its salaries and become self-sufficient.