ZimHealth-Europe delivers two more health-facility consignments to Zimbabwe
Second consignment to the Edith Opperman Maternity Hospital
The Mbare Polyclinic in Harare received a second consignment of clinical and other commodities worth about US$ 14,775.20, making a total donation to Mbare Edith Opperman Maternity Hospital to date of over US$ 27,752. This second consignment, drawn from the outstanding items on the Mbare list, was funded through a donation from the City of Geneva, from whom a donation of 15, 000 Swiss francs was received by ZimHealth. ZimHealth procured this second consignment, which was dispatched in November and delivered to the clinic in December 2009, through DAETA International Trading in South Africa. Some of the items included in the second consignment included a second newborn resuscitation unit, a hot water geyser, trolleys, patient screens, bed linen, patient gowns, a tea urn, and a microwave, among other things. Please visit the photo gallery on the website to view some of the items.
First consignment to the Pelandaba Clinic in Bulawayo
ZimHealth also procured a third consignment for the first phase of the second project, the Pelandaba clinic in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe. This consignment, amounting to US$9,010, was funded from regular donations and income from the fund raising event, held in Geneva on 3 October 2009. The event raised 4,390 Swiss francs on the night, but donations continued to come even after the event, with cash deposited directly into the ZimHealth bank account or passed on to ZimHealth by supporters who were at the function and those who had not been able to attend the event but supported the cause. By 20 October, ZimHealth-Europe recorded a total sum of 7,717.30 Swiss francs linked directly to the fundraising event!
The handover ceremony at the Pelandaba Clinic on 13th January 2010 was 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. In accepting the donation on behalf of the city of Bulawayo, the Mayor said, “The Pelandaba Clinic offers comprehensive primary health care, dental and maternity services. The total population for the area is 37,030, 65% of which are women and children. This is indeed one of the busiest clinics in the City of Bulawayo, and to this end, this donation will go a long way in serving the community in Bulawayo.” The mayor continued to express gratitude for the donation of the generator about which he said, “… couldn’t have come at a better time that is during this period of ZESA [Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority] load shedding. The maternity wing is open 24 hours and therefore needs a constant supply of electricity”.
In his vote of thanks, Councillor Khoza, Chairman of the Health, Housing and Education Committee, said, “As the city of Bulawayo, it is indeed an honour for us to have people we can count on as friends; in this instance, the Association of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora [ZimHealth]. On behalf of the city of Bulawayo, I thank [ZimHealth] for their selflessness and thoughtfulness, Siyabonga, You have transformed our clinic and we salute you for that”
Since the delivery of these items, ZimHealth has received more requests from Bulawayo for the Pelandaba Clinic as well as for the Thorngrove Hospital, an isolation hospital for the accommodation and treatment of people suffering from infectious diseases. This is a hospital which was built in 1941 and has 20 beds. View handover of goods to Pelandaba Clinic.
