STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe has donated pain relief medication to Harare Central Hospital worth $89 000 RTGS.
HealthTimes Reporter
The donation by Stanbic Bank comes at a time there is a shortage of drugs and will see the hospital’s pediatric, maternity and adult wards receiving an assortment pain relief medication to cover the next three months.
Head of Marketing and Communications for Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe, Palmer Mugavha said while the institution’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) program focuses on public health infrastructure and educational bursaries, the bank was moved to bridge the prevailing gap of acute shortage of medication.
“Our decision for this intervention was exceptional to allow Government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care to have some breathing space as they put together sustainable channels of medication supplies, so that hospitals such as this do not run out again,” said Mugavha.
The bank handed over 9 000 units of 15mg/ml injection of Morphine, 11 066 units of 75mg/3ml injections of Diclofenac, 150 units of 362.5 mg of Tramol tablets in 100s, 300 units of 50 mg Tramol capsules in 100 packs and 1200 units of 50mg/5ml Varistan Suspension.
Mugavha said Stanbic Bank’s gesture was in response to requests by medical practitioners who highlighted the acute shortage of specific pain management drugs prescribed to patients across the board but in particular women after C-Section surgery.
Mugavha said Stanbic Bank was particularly pleased that the hospital’s maternity ward would be one of the major recipients of the pain relief medication particularly those who deliver via C- section given the pain associated with child birth.
“The decision by Stanbic Bank Management was not an entirely difficult one. Thousands of expectant mothers use this large referral institution and the need for corporate invention was glaring hence we responded by purchasing these drugs to make the patients’ recovery more comfortable than the current situation,” said Mugavha.
Stanbic Bank has also committed to resuscitate one of the maternity wing’s operating theatres which is not functioning owing to equipment breakdown.
“we also learnt that the maternity wing has two operating theatres and only one is functioning due to equipment breakdown. This has resulted in expectant mothers queuing to deliver their babies in the one functional theatre. In line with our CSI strategy, we committed to the hospital authorities that we would help resuscitate the other operating theatre,” said Mugavha.
Receiving the pain relief medication, Harare Central Hospital Acting Clinical Director, Dr. Hopewell Mungani said the health services institution was indebted to Stanbic Bank especially given that the medication was geared to cover the hospital’s needs for three months.
Dr. Mungani said the medication was also most appreciated given that Harare Hospital was a referral institution for mainly marginalized patients from underprivileged backgrounds.
“As the economy continues to fluctuate, we require assistance from the donor community and well-wishers for equipment, medication and rehabilitation of structures and buildings. It is worthy to note that we have not received three months’ supply of anything in years hence this gesture by Stanbic Bank is most welcome,” said Dr. Mungani.
He said the hospital was also grateful for the plans to resuscitate the other maternity ward operating theatre.
Harare and Parirenyatwa’s Head of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Dr. Musvo Mapfanyangira said the medication would make health practitioner’s jobs of putting the patients to sleep as well as post operation easier.
“This medication has made our job easier because pain management starts from putting patient to sleep and is needed during the procedure as well as after. The first 24 hours after procedure are also critical as morphine is given every four hours in combination with other drugs so we are extremely grateful to Stanbic Bank for this three-month relief,” said Dr. Mapfanyangira.
Stanbic Bank’s assistance for health institutions has seen it provide boreholes for Chitungwiza Central and Mpilo Hospitals in addition to supporting the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ). The bank is in the process of refurbishing CAZ’s halfway house for underprivileged cancer patients called “Tariro Hostel” located at Harare Hospital
