dyton mupawaenda
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke in Bulawayo
United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) has witnessed a significant improvement in maternal and newborn health outcomes, owing to the construction of a family health centre that is complementing the maternity department.
The centre, which was constructed with support from the Health Resilience fund (HRF), boasts two dedicated operating theatres, that have effectively doubled the maternity hospital’s capacity for caesarean sections.
The HRF is a coordinated effort by the Government and development and technical partners supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Care in attaining universal health coverage for all.
The pooled fund, with financial contributions from the European Union, the Governments of Ireland and United Kingdom and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is being implemented by Government, with technical support from the UNFPA, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
HRF through UNFPA invested US$250 000 towards the construction and equipping of the family health centre as well as the procurement of a vehicle, while Government, on its part, invested US$150 000.
Speaking during a high level field visit to assess the impact that the HRF has made in various institutions and communities, UBH acting clinical director Dr Trust Mushawarima said the hospital was now conducting more than 600 deliveries per month, half of which were through caesarean sections.
“At any given time, we have around 300 maternal health patients that are admitted in our hospital. And in a month, we do about 300 caesarean sections. These numbers are actually increasing over time. Previously, we used to do about 100 patients per month. But because of the Health Resilience Fund and its implementing partners that has given us infrastructure and equipment, we are now able to do more numbers. It has equipped our doctors to be able to do a lot more, and this has actually contributed to the reduction of maternal mortality in our institution,” he said.
UBH used to have one theatre in the maternity wing which meant mothers had to wait for longer periods to have caesarean sections. However, the construction of the facility has increased the number of operations done in a day.
Dr Mushawarima said this has improved capacity to attend to emergency caesarean sections on time and contributed to the survival of mothers and their babies.
“This programme is very effective. It has equipped us as health care workers in terms of us being able to deliver health services. Every month, we now deliver over 600 babies in this hospital and l think it’s also because of such a facility that we have received,” he added.
The Sister-in-Charge of the FHC, Venencia Mubobo, said the facility, since it started operating in January 2023 has changed the face of health care service delivery at the hospital.
“The waiting period for mothers has been reduced, they don’t have to wait for long to have caesarean sections.
“In the past, they would wait maybe for up to a week, but now they come in, have their caesarean section done, and go home.
“This has improved even the outcomes on our babies, because the more they stay in, they end up becoming emergencies. Once they present as emergencies, then it results in negative outcomes for babies,” she said.
The Health Resilience Fund is aligned to the National Development Strategy 1 as well as the National Health Strategy 2021-2025.
It seeks to reduce the maternal mortality rates from 462 to 240 per 100 000 live births while also reducing neo-natal mortality from 32 to 20 per 1 000 live births and child mortality from 64 to 41 per 1 000 live births.
Online Reporter