Online Reporter
Anesu January
Herald Correspondent
STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe has handed over a refurbished Children’s Ward and critical medical equipment worth nearly US$140 000 to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, in support of the Government’s drive to deliver quality healthcare in line with Vision 2030.
The bank renovated Ward B1 for US$99 000 and donated medical equipment valued at US$40 000.
The equipment included two Bubble CPAP 68C units with trolleys, a humidifier, a medical air compressor with masks, five infusion pumps and five phototherapy lamps.
Stanbic Bank executive director for Corporate and Investment Banking, Mrs Betty Murambadoro, said the initiative was part of the institution’s commitment to community well-being.
“We started working on the maternity wing in 2021, where we carried out renovations to improve the experience of expectant mothers. Last year, we focused on refurbishments including tiling, painting, and rewiring,” she said.
“This year, we brought in critical machines that are already making a difference. We witnessed mothers celebrating their newborns whose survival depends on the very equipment we donated.
“These are not just machines, but life-saving interventions that give young patients a greater chance to recover and thrive.”
The director of Clinical Services at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Dr Harunavamwe Chifamba, applauded the donation and described it as timely, given the hospital’s high paediatric caseload.
“Ward B1 is a 65-bed unit. Last year alone, we admitted 2 570 babies, which accounts for about a quarter of all paediatric admissions at this hospital,” she said.
Dr Chifamba said the donated equipment will directly improve care for vulnerable infants.
“The phototherapy lamps will help us treat babies born with jaundice, while the infusion pumps are critical in precisely administering drips to newborns, even those just a day old. The Bubble CPAP machines will support babies suffering from respiratory illnesses, which are common during outbreaks,” she said.
Dr Chifamba said the hospital staff and patients’ families greatly appreciate Stanbic’s support, which will enhance service delivery and improve survival outcomes.
