Bulawayo (New Ziana) -Neo-natal (0-28 days of age) deaths at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) are set to drop following the handover of two state of the art incubators by a local financial institution.
Nedbank donated the incubators, with a market value of over US$15 000, as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The UBH, a major referral centre for Matabeleland South and North, Midlands and part of the Bulawayo Metropolitan provinces, was established in 1932 and has capacity to deliver 8 500 babies per year, serving a catchment of a population of over 3 million people.
Zimbabwe is targeting to reduce the child mortality rate to less than 12 per 1 000 births by 2030, a target which is achievable considering that the government introduced Devolution Funds, which are being channelled towards construction of new health centres countrywide.
Speaking at a ceremony to handover the incubators, Nedbank executive head for sales and business origination, Heresy Herry said they were complimenting government efforts towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3 by the year 2030.
SDG number 3 seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages by 2030.
“As an organisation, we can in a small way, contribute towards the attainment of the SDGs. I think we can never miss this opportunity to contribute towards this achievement,” said Herry.
He said Nedbank appreciated that the UBH was servicing a large catchment and delivering over 8 500 babies annually, and as such, deserved to be assisted to achieve its mandate.
“For us, remember Zimbabwe`s greatest pride is its people. It’s those babies that translate into community leaders, captains of industry and markets of products that we sell as an institution,” he said.
UBH acting clinical director, Harrison Rambanepasi said the equipment would go a long way in saving the lives of preterm babies.
“We are grateful as an institution, and we are looking forward for long term partnerships with the corporate world. We urge other corporates to emulate this gesture either by adopting a department, children’s ward or theatre so that all needs are catered for, especially for patients who cannot afford to meet the medical costs,” he said.
Rambanepasi said the hospital was facing a number of challenges, chief among them lack funding to replace obsolete equipment and to construct modern infrastructure which meets world class standards.
He appealed to the Treasury to disburse funds allocated to the institution on time to enable it effectively execute its mandate and also to save it from being eroded by inflation.
New Ziana
