Online Reporter
Chronicle Correspondent
STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe has donated critical neonatal care equipment worth US$60,000 to Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo as it continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the country’s healthcare delivery system.
The Standard Bank Group subsidiary donated four multi-parameter neonatal monitors, which are essential for monitoring new-born babies during their critical early days, and eight incubators, which play a vital role in the care and treatment of premature and critically ill infants.
Stanbic Bank chief executive, Mr Solomon Nyanhongo, said the donation, which was handed over on Thursday, represented another important milestone in the institution’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe.
He said the financial services institution was honoured to contribute to the service delivery efforts of Mater Dei Hospital, which has a rich legacy and occupies a special place in Zimbabwe’s healthcare landscape.
“Today’s handover is more than the transfer of equipment. It’s a demonstration of what can be achieved when institutions come together with a shared purpose of improving lives. We are proud to strengthen Mater Dei’s legacy through Stanbic Bank’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme,” said Mr Nyanhongo.
He said the bank believes that sustainable growth goes hand in hand with meaningful social impact. To that end, Stanbic Bank will continue to invest in initiatives that strengthen healthcare systems, support medical professionals, and improve patient outcomes.
Mr Nyanhongo said the donation is particularly significant because it focuses on some of the most vulnerable members of society – new-born infants. He said every infant given a healthier start represents hope for a family, confidence for a community, and an investment in Zimbabwe’s future.
The chief executive said Stanbic Bank is guided by an unwavering purpose: “Zimbabwe is our home, we drive her growth,” adding that this commitment has instilled a firm belief that driving Zimbabwe’s growth extends beyond financing businesses and supporting economic activity.
In his remarks, Mater Dei Director of Health, Mr Adolph Macheka, expressed gratitude for the donation by Stanbic Bank, saying the state-of-the-art equipment was critical for operating a properly equipped neonatal intensive care unit.
“It’s important to appreciate that the state of development of a nation is assessed by its socio-economic conditions and its ability to care for the weakest members of its community. Nothing exemplifies this more than the struggling premature neonate,” said Mr Macheka.
He said the donation was timely as it comes at a time when the country is facing challenges in improving neonatal mortality indicators, noting that between 1999 and 2019, Zimbabwe’s neonatal mortality metrics worsened by 10 percent.
Mr Macheka, however, said all was not doom and gloom, as the country has made significant progress over the past 20 years in improving maternal and child mortality and morbidity outcomes.
He said the equipment will go a long way in addressing the neonatal mortality rate, which currently stands at 32 per 1 000 live births.
“This is where the impact of this kind of critical care equipment truly becomes evident. We need paediatricians, but even if we have the manpower, we still need the critical equipment to care for these little ones. There is no shortcut to that. This is why we greatly appreciate the tremendous impact that Stanbic Bank’s donation to Mater Dei Hospital will have,” said Mr Macheka.
