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West Michigan-based group changing the face of medical care in South Sudan

Posted at 5:36 PM, May 13, 2015
and last updated 2015-05-13 17:36:27-04

WERKOK, South Sudan -- It's more than 6,000 miles from West Michigan, stricken with diseases and has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world.

When people in South Sudan get sick, they traditionally turned to witch doctors and prayer, but a West Michigan charity is helping to change that.

They are called Partners in Compassionate Care, and they helped build a 12-bed hospital in 2006.  That number is now up to 28.

Despite war and agression, the hospital is still running and making a difference.

Memorial Christian Hospital has few resources, and runs on a generator.   Power is only turned on when surgeries are scheduled.

However, American doctors are impressed by how well the hospital is equipped.   Recently, an X-ray machine was donated by Spectrum Health.  It's expected to benefit some 14 million people, and it's currently the only X-ray machine in the country.

MCH has served more than 65,000 patients and over 2,000 surgeries have been performed there.