HARARE – In partnership with The ELMA Group of Foundations, Higherlife Foundation is this week undertaking its second series of handovers of maternal health medical equipment to seven hospitals across Zimbabwe.
The equipment is set to boost the health and safety of mothers and babies during delivery and reduce postnatal risks.
“The delivery and use of the critical equipment in maternity wards will improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes as they facilitate the correct risk assessments, diagnosis, and treatment of mothers and neonates,” said Dr. Kennedy Mubaiwa, the CEO of Higherlife Foundation.
“The maternal health project is part of our work towards strengthening the healthcare system in Zimbabwe. COVID-19 continues to disrupt the provision of essential maternal and neonatal health services, however, through such interventions we can help to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates,” Dr. Mubaiwa said.
“We remain truly grateful to The ELMA Group of Foundations for their continued investment and support to this project which builds the capacity of our maternity wards and healthcare staff within our hospitals,” he said.
The equipment is being distributed to maternity departments at Sally Mugabe Hospital, Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital, Chitungwiza Hospital, Mpilo Hospital, and United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Manicaland Provincial Hospital, and Midlands Provincial Hospital.
The equipment includes 15 cardio tachographs, 7 ultrasounds, 14 portable multiparameter monitors, 14 vacuum extraction kits, 43 suction machines, 9 neonate resuscitation kits, 13 CPAP machines, 11 multiparameter monitors, 3 incubators, 17 infusion pumps, 17 syringe pumps, and 3 rescusitaires.
“This is the second round of equipment deliveries to the seven hospitals after the first handover in December 2020. Furthermore, to build technical capacity and improve service delivery, we recently commenced Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care Training and Human Factors, Leadership, and Ethics Training which targeted 3,768 doctors, nurses, midwives, and auxiliary staff.
“Our hope, through the provision of this equipment and the delivery of much-needed training, is to create a safe working environment in our maternity wards and to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes across the institutions we have targeted,” said Dr. Mubaiwa.
He said Higherlife Foundation is guided by their “Vision 2050”: ‘To see Zimbabwe become an upper-middle-income economy by 2050’, adding that a key component of achieving this vision is building healthy, thriving, and resilient communities who are at the centre of the Foundation’s interventions in health.