Physician, Medical Missionary

In Arusha, Tanzania, Selian Lutheran hospital provides medical care to thousands of people each year. An extraordinary witness of God’s love, the hospital’s staff cares for patients as children of God, not just as bodies in need of attention. Serving more than 30 villages, Selian’s patients are mainly from the Maasai and Waarusha tribes, many of whom would not have access to health care were it not for this hospital.

The driving force behind Selian Lutheran Hospital is Dr. Mark Jacobson. Educated at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Jacobson might have opted for a comfortable practice in the United States. But instead, he and his wife, Linda, heeded a call to respond to the needs of people an ocean away. In 1977, Dr. Jacobson moved to Africa and has since worked in Liberia, Kenya, Somalia, and Mozambique.

In 1988, Dr. Jacobson became Director of Selian Lutheran Hospital as a medical missionary of the ELCA. At that time, it was a small clinic. Today it is a modern hospital, equipped to handle a vast array of health care needs. Due to Dr. Jacobson’s leadership, Selian has become a model for primary, preventative, and surgical care in East Africa. Equally importantly, though, is the spiritual care that Selian provides. Chaplains pray with patients daily, and the bedside manor of its Director is well-known. Dr. Jacobson is as much beloved for his healing touch and compassionate words as he is for his medical and administrative skills. In May 2001, Senior Elders of the Maasai tribe expressed their appreciation of Dr. Jacobson and his wife by making them members of the Maasai tribe in a special ceremony. Dr. Jacobson is now known as “Loibone,” which means “traditional healer.”

Dr. Jacobson has been particularly active in AIDS treatment and prevention in Tanzania. Long before others recognized the prevalence and danger of AIDS, Dr. Jacobson was traveling throughout Tanzania, educating villagers about how to avoid contracting and spreading the disease. He also served as the Director of AIDS Control Program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. Dr. Jacobson has also worked tirelessly to promote women’s health, especially with the provision of pre-natal and post-partum care. He has published extensively and frequently lectures and consults on global health issues.

Dr. Jacobson was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, where he attended Trinity Lutheran Church. Over the course of his career, he has worked with a number of organizations to promote health and well-being in Africa, most notably Operation Bootstrap Africa. He has also worked with World Vision, the Lutheran World Federation, USAID, and the ELCA. He is recognized as a Clinical Professor of International Health at the University of Minnesota and is a recipient of the University of Minnesota Outstanding Achievement Award.

For more information about Selian Lutheran Hospital, visit http://selianlh.habari.co.tz/.