Almost a year after receiving a request for support from Mount Selinda Mission Hospital, the Zimbabwe Network for Health looks back at the impact this project has had on the institution and local community. The project which was launched in March 2024 and is set to run through March 2025, aims to equip the local hospital and engage communities to improve healthcare for women and children. Here’s a look at how ZimHealth is on course to achieve these goals, the challenges we’ve encountered, and the actual impact the project has generated.

The Mission: Addressing Health Disparities in Zimbabwe

This current project focuses on improving maternal and child health in the Mount Selinda Mission Hospital catchment area, where accessible and quality healthcare is limited. To tackle this, ZimHealth defined several objectives:

1. Community Engagement: Educate villagers on the importance of antenatal and postnatal care, ensuring that more mothers access essential health services.
2. Empowering Leaders: Train village leaders to promote antenatal care bookings and safe deliveries within their communities.
3. Equipping the Hospital: Upgrade critical infrastructure in the hospital’s operating theater, maternity ward, and family-child health department.
4. Medical Outreach: Conduct outreach programs to reach at-risk obstetric cases within the community, especially in remote areas.

Project Highlights and Progress

Despite some early obstacles, ZimHealth has made significant progress:

• Procuring Essential Equipment: ZimHealth purchased vital medical equipment from South Africa, including a theatre operating beds, a multi-parameter monitor, BP machines and hospital linen both for patients and staff. The total cost for procurement was 14,663.56 USD which is 12,772.46 Swiss Francs as of the 28th of October 2024. Delays due to banking issues slightly hindered the procurement process, but the equipment is now ready for delivery, pending duty exemptions from the Zimbabwean government.
• Preparing the Hospital: In anticipation of the new equipment, the hospital has been preparing its infrastructure and training staff on the use of advanced medical tools. With a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework established, data collection on hospital visits, procedures, and deliveries is underway to track project impact effectively.
• Building Strong Community Engagement: Village Health Workers (VHWs) and village leaders are central to the project’s success. These local leaders have participated in regular bi-weekly meetings, where they receive training and tools to verify antenatal bookings and advocate for safe deliveries. This community-centric approach fosters trust and participation, encouraging families to engage with healthcare services.

Challenges and Innovative Solutions

Implementing a healthcare project in remote Zimbabwe has not however been without its difficulties, some of which are:

• Banking and Procurement Delays: Organizational leadership changes led to delays in banking clearances. ZimHealth has now resolved these issues and is working to establish a more streamlined banking protocol to avoid future delays.
• Community Engagement in Remote Areas: Engaging villagers in remote locations presents logistical and cultural challenges. To overcome this, ZimHealth has created tailored Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials in local languages, making healthcare information accessible and culturally relevant.
• Equipment Delivery Delay: The delay in equipment has impacted the project timeline

A Glimpse at Project Outcomes and Sustainability

With a robust M&E plan in place, ZimHealth has set up measurable indicators to track key outcomes, such as the number of antenatal care bookings, hospital deliveries, and reductions in perinatal mortality. Early data from January to September 2024 show positive trends, indicating increasing community engagement and healthcare utilization.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of this project. After its conclusion, ZimHealth aims to incorporate maternal and neonatal improvements into routine hospital operations at Mount Selinda. Continued partnerships with local village health workers and community leaders will ensure that knowledge and support structures remain strong, fostering long-term health benefits.

ZimHealth is now focused on the following milestones:

1. Delivery and Installation of Equipment: Ensuring all new medical equipment is installed and ready for use.
2. Comprehensive Staff Training: Training hospital staff to operate new equipment, ensuring they’re equipped to provide high-quality maternal and child healthcare.
3. Scaling Community Outreach: Expanding outreach efforts to encourage antenatal care, safe deliveries, and consistent postnatal follow-ups.

Conclusion: A Path Toward Healthier Futures

Despite initial challenges, the project is progressing steadily. By addressing equipment delivery delays, strengthening community engagement, and implementing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, the project aims to achieve its objectives of improving maternal and child health in the target area.