Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, Inc.
DEDICATION CEREMONY FOR MUTOMBO HOSPITAL TAKES PLACE IN CONGO
Atlanta, GA
August 1, 2007
By Susan M. Johnson
On Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at nine o’clock in the morning, the long-awaited dream of NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo became a reality during the dedication ceremony for the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center in the capital city of Kinshasa.
Thousands of jubilant Congolese citizens lined the congested streets of Kinshasa awaiting the arrival of their hometown hero, Dikembe Mutombo while close to 100 guests from around the world converged on the pristine hospital grounds to commemorate the opening of the new hospital. Congo’s President Joseph Kabila delivered the opening remarks, broadcast live on national television throughout the country. Mutombo lead the official tour of the new hospital and President Kabila was the first to observe the hospital’s new electronic health record system, which uses biometric identification authentication and smartcard technology.
Mutombo was clearly moved by the outpouring of support as he spoke in French to an adoring crowd of well wishers and supporters. After the ceremony, a multitude of spectators lining the streets on both sides cheered loudly as Mutombo’s car drove past.
The Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital, named in memory of Mutombo’s beloved mother is the first hospital of its kind to be built in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in almost 40 years. The new hospital is located in the commune of Masina, one of the most densely populated and impoverished quadrants of the city.
Longtime NBA teammate and friend Juwan Howard and WNBA star Nikki McCray joined Mutombo in the Congo and participated in several basketball clinics for Kinshasa’s youth. Other special guests included: Congolese Ambassador Faida Mitifu (Washington, D.C.), Roger Meece, U.S. Ambassador to the DR Congo, William Swing, UN Special Representative/MONUC, Mrs. Tokuda Hideko, Miss Tokuda Yukari, Dr. Mwanatambwe Milanga all of the Tokushukai Medical Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), Fredric Berger, Senior Vice President, The Louis Berger Group (Washington, D.C.), Kase Lawal, CEO, CAMAC International (Houston, TX), Kenneth Yellowe, CEO, Global Energy, USA (Houston, TX), Dr. Eckhard Alt, Professor of Medicine, Univ. of Texas/MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX), John Saunders, ESPN Sports (New York, NY), Shirley Neal, the Africa Channel (Los Angeles, CA), Anthony Severini and Lee Sorenson, U.S. Doctors for Africa (Los Angeles, CA), Adrian Merryman, CEO and Colin McCormack, Opportunity International (Oak Brook, IL), Linda Lee and Elizabeth Migwall, Qualcomm (San Diego, CA and Johannesburg, South Africa), Lyndall Medearis, Jr. AXA Financial (Houston, TX), Carrie Russell, Bank of America (Atlanta, GA), Robert Santarlasci, NBA Promotions, (New York, NY), Evan Gelber, Houston Rockets (Houston, TX), Charles Burke, Vice-President, Swift Glass (Elmira, NY), Drs. Thomas and Esther Pinder (Washington, D.C.), Mr. Lewis Hoover (Washington, D.C.), Teri Yarbrow and Max Almy, MAGIKA, (Malibu, CA), Kathryn Moore, Montebello Films (New York, NY), Ronald Harvey, Steve Rimpici, Justice Croffie, Greg Thornton, Kingsley Nwosu all of InterCard Biometrics (Washington, D.C.), Dr. Louis Kanda, Vice-Chairman, Dr. Mireille Kanda, Senior Medical Advisor, Susan M. Johnson, Executive Director, Alicia Smith, Administrative Assistant and Jim Setzer, board member all of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation.
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