Zimbabwe Network for Health – Europe

Pelandaba clinic – Profile and request to ZimHealth Pelandaba clinic – Procurement list.
December 2009 visit report March 2010 visit report

Mobilizing urgent support towards improving quality of and access to maternity and primary health care at Pelandaba Clinic, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

 

Overall objective

To reduce deaths and ill-health associated with pregnancy and childbirth that poorer communities are currently experiencing in Zimbabwe, by providing support to improve facilities and availability of urgently needed resources at Pelandaba clinic in Bulawayo.

Specific objectives

  1. To raise resources for purchasing and shipping essential pieces of equipment to help save lives of women during pregnancy or childbirth.
  2. To support or catalyse the purchase of essential drugs or medicines for use at Pelandaba clinic in Bulawayo.

Background

Zimbabwe’s economic performance over the last decade or so has had negative consequences on the delivery of public health services throughout the country. The Pelandaba clinic in Bulawayo, like all other health-delivery facilities, has been functioning with poor or lack of essential equipment. Although the government of Zimbabwe has made notable efforts to ensure the delivery of health services to its population, the prevailing harsh economic climate has rendered most the government initiatives inadequate.

Pelandaba clinic runs as a comprehensive primary health and maternity centre. Some of the programmes offered at this clinic include:

  • HIV and AIDS care programmes
  • Tuberculosis services
  • Maternity services
  • Dental services
  • Community services, follow up of cases and health promotion
  • Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)
  • Treatment of minor ailments and
  • Antenatal and postnatal services

The ideal staff complement for this clinic is 48, but it is currently operating with 33, of whom 18 are nursing staff. Ideally the clinic should have 32 nursing staff. The monthly statistics are as follows:

Outpatient attendance 2000
EPI 1080
Live births 150
Antenatal visits 200
Postnatal visits 90
Family planning 140
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV 200
Patients on antiretroviral drugs 938

No dental services offered due to lack of materials. At the moment only oral health education is being offered.

 

Progress report to date

 

On 20 May ZimHealth received, from the health authorities in the City of Bulawayo, a list of essential clinical, non medical equipment and drugs for the Pelandaba clinic. The list included sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, autoclaves, glucometers, bandages, thermometers, dental syringes and gloves, among others.

Following a fundraising event in Geneva in October 2009, ZimHealth-Europe procured some of the materials for the first phase of the Pelandaba clinic. This consignment amounting to US$9,000 was funded from regular donations by ZimHealth members and well wishers and income from the fund raising event.

On 21st December two members of ZimHealth visited Bulawayo and met with the health authorities in the city of Bulawayo. This was the first visit by ZimHealth members to its project in Bulawayo − previous communications had been all by phone and e-mail. It was noted at this visit that the Phase 1 equipment for the clinic had been received and stored, but staff were anxious to use the items. (Click here to read the full report)

On 13th January 2010, the handover ceremony was held at the Pelandaba Clinic, attended by Councillor T.P. Moyo, the Mayor of the city of Bulawayo, Dr. Bango, the Provincial Medical Director for Matabeleland South, representing the Minister for Health and Child Welfare. The Zimbabwe Network for Health in Europe (ZimHealth – Europe) and the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the USA were represented by Lorraine Mangwiro.
(Click here to see pictures of the Pelandaba handover and here for the report).

ZimHealth-Europe has received an updated list of needs for the Pelandaba clinic as well as the Thorngrove infectious diseases hospital in Bulawayo. The items have been estimated to cost approximately US$ 65,000. The list of procured commodities for Pelandaba Clinic, Bulawayo can be viewed here.