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| Book handover |
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| Books in Matron's safe keeping |
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| Monitoring and recording book usage |
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| Matron with books |
Friends of Chitambo SCIO: registered charity number SCO44337 Our primary aims are to support health projects, including the hospital, ambulance and nurse training school. However, we also hope to be able to provide some support to other community oranisations such as the orphanage, schools, and the church, where possible.
Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Books delivered
Mission accomplished! Medical textbooks requested by Chitambo Hospital colleagues have come full circle. In February 2018 some departments at Chitambo Hospital (laboratory and radiography) reported the need for books on Sonography and Parasitology. Friends of Chitambo purchased these from Health Books International in the UK. They were taken to Zambia by a contact from Vision Aid Zambia, transported to Chitambo by a member of the hospital team and are now in safekeeping of Matron. Thanks to all who helped to make this happen.
International Nurses Day (12th May 2018)
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| Chitambo students |
Solar power
Fantastic news! The new solar power installations are completed at Chitambo Hospital and its 2 remotest 'hard to reach' rural health clinics (Gibson and Chipundu).
At Chitambo Hospital, the panels have been placed on the roof of the hospital laboratory. They will provide vital backup during all too frequent power outages.
Sincerest thanks to Scottish Government for funding this life saving initiative and to First Aid Africa for driving it through in collaboration with our local FoCH Project Coordinator.....and of course the Chitambo team who proposed the need in the first place.
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| Panels on Chitambo Hospital lab roof |
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| Batteries |
National Health Week (7-11th May 2018)
The Chitambo Hospital team was out and about in the community promoting health and also setting a good example by participating in healthy activities themselves.
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| Chitambo health team setting good examples (See below too) |
Wheelchair sagas
Thanks to amazing teamwork and wonderful connections a wheelchair is on its way to Chitambo Hospital physiotherapy department.
Sheffield medical student and founder of the new charity MedAid Sheffield, Yun Xin Koh, left for Zambia on Saturday 1st June, with it in her extra baggage allowance. She is heading off on her Medical Elective in Zambia.
Top Sheffield eye surgeon/medical trainer, Dr Zanna Currie (who grew up at Chitambo) linked us with Yun Xin, who is her student.
Chitambo man/Friends of Chitambo (FoCH) Trustee, Mr Chola Mwelwa, lives in the Sheffield area, where he manages a Nursing Home. He obtained a batch of perfectly serviceable wheelchairs which would otherwise be scrapped, and saw the value of these for Chitambo.
Zambian FoCH Trustee, Mr Consider Mudenda, met Yun Xin's flight and collected the wheelchair from her, for onward transport to Chitambo, along with a consignment of office equipment donated by FoCH.
Yun Xin also gave us 4 recent copies of the British National Formularies (BNF), for donation to Chitambo. We hope to find a way of transporting these and more wheelchairs to Chitambo as soon as possible.
Thanks to all who have helped us to make a good start on this initiative and, in particular, to Mr. Chola Mwelwa who initiated this venture.
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| Mr. Chola Mwelwa, with his consignment of wheelchairs |
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| With Mwelwa family and friends |
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| Chola with medical student Yin Xin |
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| Yin Xin delivers the wheel chair to Consider Mudena at Lusaka airport |
Tuesday, 1 May 2018
2 fabulous fundraising talks
In or around Edinburgh, Scotland this May? We have 2 fabulous fundraising talks. The first, by Mr. Callum Christie, author of 'Goodbye Colonialism, Farewell Feudalism' is on Thursday 17th May, 2-4pm at the Penicuik Townhall. Details here: https://u3asites.org.uk/penicuik/events
It charts the history of the Barotseland in the run up to Zambian independence. Mr. Christie has very kindly offered to pass any proceeds from his book sales to Friends of Chitambo. Heartfelt thanks to him for that.
It charts the history of the Barotseland in the run up to Zambian independence. Mr. Christie has very kindly offered to pass any proceeds from his book sales to Friends of Chitambo. Heartfelt thanks to him for that.
The second talk, on Saturday 19th May, 2-4pm, at St. James the Less Episcopal Church, Penicuik, is by Dr. Marion Taylor, author of 'Livingstone's Hospital the Story of Chitambo'. She will be talking about Livingstone's character and the fact that, for such a famous man, he actually failed at most things he did! Please see this link for details: CLICK HERE FOR THE FLIER
Marion is also talking on behalf of Friends of Chitambo and we thank her very much too.
Please come and support us if you can!
Marion is also talking on behalf of Friends of Chitambo and we thank her very much too.
Please come and support us if you can!
Road accidents
More reasons for supporting emergency care improvements in Zambia, and in Chitambo District...recent bus accidents. Although thankfully not in Chitambo District, they are all too common. One bus was headed to Johannesburg, South Africa, and crashed south of Lusaka. The other, in Northern Province, was said to have careered off the road due to the driver speeding. In both cases, there seemed to be an organised response, with lists of passengers posted up at the scene, to help people check if their relatives were involved.
But how good if the 992 freetoll number (shortcode for health) could be implemented soon as this would surely help to speed up response times and save lives?
Red ants in medical ward!
All rural hospitals face challenges but this one, at Chitambo Hospital, Zambia, is a bit different from some. Biting red ants marching up the wall of Medical Ward!
Hospital staff are unphased. Patients are evacuated to Surgical Ward whilst solutions, including applying diesel, are sought. However, the Environmental Health Technologist is summoned and soon has the situation under control. Job done! All in a day's work!
Hospital staff are unphased. Patients are evacuated to Surgical Ward whilst solutions, including applying diesel, are sought. However, the Environmental Health Technologist is summoned and soon has the situation under control. Job done! All in a day's work!
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| Red ants in Medical Ward |
Scottish Zambian Association (SCOZAA) celebration
Great to meet old friends and new last night at the Scottish Zambia Association (SCOZAA) gathering at the Scottish Parliament. Celebrating SCOZAA's new charity status and Diverse Talents' successful Small Grant award for a project about drama for health education purposes. Well done all!
Zambian National Biomedical Laboratory Professionals Week
22 to 28th April was Zambian National Biomedical Laboratory Professionals Week and the Chitambo team was out and about in the community providing services and raising awareness.
One dedicated team member travelled to far distant Solwezi, North Western Province, to attend the associated Scientific Symposium and present a paper. The Symposium was a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and the Biomedical Society of Zambia. Impressive work everyone! You are making Chitambo proud!
One dedicated team member travelled to far distant Solwezi, North Western Province, to attend the associated Scientific Symposium and present a paper. The Symposium was a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and the Biomedical Society of Zambia. Impressive work everyone! You are making Chitambo proud!
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| Chitambo Lab Team out and about in Chitambo District |
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| Grateful community members |
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| Services rendeed |
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| Chitambo delegate |
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| Chitambo delegate's presentation |
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| Conference dinner |
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| Lunch |
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| Networking |
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