Murambinda Mission Hospital serves the needs of the people of the Buhera District of Zimbabwe, providing support and care for those  suffering from all kinds of illness, as well as coping with  with high and every increasing numbers of patients with HIV/AIDS and TB

Financial support from the Friends of Murambinda Hospital enables the continuance of a number of schemes including funding of assistant posts in the Laboratory and X-ray Department. Major projects - such as the standby bore hole and biogas projects have been completed, and further work done on the upgrading of staff accommodation. There are testing times ahead for us, as the future of funding of the hospital service in Zimbabwe remains uncertain.

In order to support its staff and patients, Murambinda continues to try and provide a modernization programme which will enable the hospital to provide total care.

Murambinda’s workload in inpatient care continues to be oriented towards HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, but there are substantial numbers of patients with other varied diagnosis being treated. However, a worrying trend is the increase in cerebrovascular accidents.

Inpatient statistics for the year 1999:

Total number of admission: 7,261

Maternity:       2,424

General            4,837

The new Maternity Unit is a source of pride to the hospital community, and though it struggles to maintain a constant supply of dressings, gloves and other disposables.

 There is a growing decrease in neonatal death rates, in spite of the expected increase in mortality due to the AIDS virus. But the establishment of an aggressive policy of care for premature infants has thus far been of benefit.

Theater suffers from a lack of staff and surgical supply shortages, but with the support of staff and visiting medical students, we are enable to continue to provide surgical services. Our Laboratory continues to provide a service and funding from the Friends of Murambinda has enabled us to employ a laboratory helper. X-ray too continues to function, in spite of the increasing cost of X-ray films, but we are determined to maintain this service.

Pharmacy continues to be a problem, and its future is uncertain with impending governmental policies of introducing charges for dispensing of drugs . Dwindling supplies from the Government stores has meant that it has become necessary to buy drugs privately. Many items are now consistently out of stock but ensuring a regular supply of medicines will remain a priority with the pharmacy.

 HIV/AIDS SERVICE PROGRAMME

This service includes the Dananai Centre, Home Based Care and Community Mitigation projects which are concerned with terminal illness.

Dananai continues to work in Buhera North in 1999, providing home based care for the terminal ill. The service acknowledges with gratitude the help of 300 community volunteers. Care and support of orphans and community peer, youth and workplace HIV/AIDS education continues.

The HIV/AIDS counseling and testing service also continued, but was reduced at the end of the year due to problems with test kit supply and the uncertainties caused by the impending introduction of hospital charges.

If you can help us by joining the Friends of Murambinda Hospital, please contact us here. Your prayerful support is always appreciated, as are any gifts of goods or financial gifts.