Catchment area: The map shows that Nyangao is located in the South-East of Tanzania close to Indian Ocean and the border with Mozambique. (Hospitals on this map are marked by a blue cross). Nyangao is on the main road connecting Lindi, Mtwara and Masasi. This is the only all-weather road in this part of the country. Public transport is by bus with no train or landing strip. Nyangao belongs to Lindi Region and Lindi Rural District and has about 15'000 inhabitants. Population of Lindi Region is about 900,000 and neighbouring Mtwara Region about 1200,000. Rural Lindi District has a population of over 250,000.

Nyangao Hospital is situated very near to the border between Lindi and Mtwara Region and surrounded by 8 different Districts of Lindi and Mtwara Regions. Each District has its own District Hospital, plus 2 Regional Hospitals. Together with the introduction of a new fees scheme in 2004 there was established first time in history of the hospital catchment area (orange colour on the map) which includes the area from which most of the patients come from. During last few years 2 new nereby localized Districts were established, Ruangwa and Tandahimba and 2 new District Hospitals were opened in each of these Districts. However, more and more patients every day are coming to Nyangao Hospital, by-passing nearest government hospitals. There will come a time where we will need to not only revise the fee scheme but also make our catchment area more realistic (green line). As before patients from outside of our catchment area will be charged with fees almost double those that patients from inside the area are charged. Patients living near own government hospitals like Mtwara, Lindi, Newala, Nachingwea, Ndanda, Masasi, Kilwa, Tunduru may be treated in Nyangao if they wish but will be charged as private patients.