Chitambo Hospital also urgently needs a Mother's Shelter so that, in line with government policy, expectant mothers can deliver in hospital. The shelter will provide accommodation for up to 1 month before delivery.
A similar shelter was built at Mpelembe, the largest of Chitambo District's 'hard to reach' Rural Health Clinics, in the Bangwelu wetlands. This was funded by the Zambian Government's Constituency Development Fund. However, that supply is now exhausted and the Chitambo District Director of Health is concerned about how to meet the government requirement that all expectant mothers deliver in hospital. His cost estimate is around £12,000 for the building infrastructure. More would, of course, be needed for equipping the shelter.
Any thoughts on how we can help Chitambo raise this funding would be welcomed.
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.
Saturday, 2 February 2019
We urgently need that trauma training
The shortcode (free toll) emergency care number installation is not a moment too soon as these photos of a serious bus accident at Kanona, near Chitambo Hospital, on 18th January, show. One person died and the injured were ferried to the hospital in the pouring rain.
This accident was reported the day after our Scottish Government Small Grant Assessment for our next funding application. This application includes requested trauma and first repsonder training for hospital staff. As the Head Physiotherapist said after the above accident:
This accident was reported the day after our Scottish Government Small Grant Assessment for our next funding application. This application includes requested trauma and first repsonder training for hospital staff. As the Head Physiotherapist said after the above accident:
"We urgently need that trauma training."
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| Bus accident at Kanona near Chitambo |
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| Chitambo ambulance crew stands by |
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| Dealing with the wreckage |
Shortcode number for health...it's official!
Thanks to Scottish Government, First Aid Africa, the Zambian Ministry of Health and the tireless efforts of Mr Consider Mudenda, Project Coordinator, money has now changed hands and work to install the necessary infrastructure (masts and radios) to enable the 992 shortcode (free toll) number for health in Chitambo District begins on Monday 4th February. Once implemented, this system will give everyone free telephone access to emergency help and advice, saving lives by cutting down on multiple delays.
FoCH, in collaboration with First Aid Africa and Chitambo colleagues, has priced medical equipment...autoclave, x-ray processor, laboratory fridge and other items....much needed by the hospital. These, again sponsored by Scottish Government, should soon be in place and making a difference.
FoCH, in collaboration with First Aid Africa and Chitambo colleagues, has priced medical equipment...autoclave, x-ray processor, laboratory fridge and other items....much needed by the hospital. These, again sponsored by Scottish Government, should soon be in place and making a difference.
Friday, 21 December 2018
Happy Christmas and New Year
Wishing all our friends and supporters the happiest Christmas and a very good New Year ahead:
May all your dreams come true. Click here to let Soweto Gospel Choir bring you some festive cheer:
CLICK HERE
May all your dreams come true. Click here to let Soweto Gospel Choir bring you some festive cheer:
CLICK HERE
Friends of Chitambo certainly has talent
We are extremely proud of our Zambian Trustee, Mr. Consider Mudenda, who has been selected from a short list of over 60 people to be Country Manager for the Virtual Doctors: https://www.virtualdoctors.org/
This organisation, marrying health and technology, is the perfect fit for his talents and the job offers him financial security. He was hardly in the door before e was off on a week long trip to set up tele medicine links at 6 clinics in Malawi. Being used to working with remote, rural clinics in Chitambo District, he took this in his stride.
There is plenty of scope for collaboration between Virtual Doctors and Friends of Chitambo and Consider is the perfect bridge between us.
This organisation, marrying health and technology, is the perfect fit for his talents and the job offers him financial security. He was hardly in the door before e was off on a week long trip to set up tele medicine links at 6 clinics in Malawi. Being used to working with remote, rural clinics in Chitambo District, he took this in his stride.
There is plenty of scope for collaboration between Virtual Doctors and Friends of Chitambo and Consider is the perfect bridge between us.
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| Consider joins the Virtual Doctors team |
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| First assignment: Consider with Virtual Doctors in Malawi |
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| At Lake Malawi |
Friends of Chitambo are present at the Scottish Government Grant Awareness Day (13th December 2018)
Thank you to Scottish Government for an excellent Grant Awareness day in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Thursday 13th December,
bringing together old friends and new, with much learning and networking. Thank you in particular for a special mention of Chitambo. This was much appreciated. The meeting was opened by the Honorable Scottish Minister for International Affairs, Ben Macpherson.
Good also to meet Dr Kalonde Kasengele, Chair of the Scottish Zambia Partnership (SCOZAP) and Mr Paul Gowens, Head Paramedic, Scottish Ambulance Service, who has just returned from a visit to Zambia, including Chitambo.
Good also to meet Dr Kalonde Kasengele, Chair of the Scottish Zambia Partnership (SCOZAP) and Mr Paul Gowens, Head Paramedic, Scottish Ambulance Service, who has just returned from a visit to Zambia, including Chitambo.
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| Chitambo gets a mention |
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| Bridget listens intently |
Donation of surgical face masks for Chitambo Hospital
Heartfelt thanks to Kerry Chalmers, Head of NHS Scotland Global Health Coordination Unit, Scottish Government and Scott Cowan, National Stock Controller, National Blood Transfusion Services Scotland, for facilitating a donation of 30 boxes of surgical face masks for Chitambo Hospital, central Zambia.
These were collected by Jo Vallis, FoCH Chair and Chris Roberts, Trustee, who also benefited from a tour of the state of the art blood transfusion unit where all Scottish blood supplies are processed and latest blood cells research conducted. Thank you Scott. If only Chitambo could benefit from such facilities.
These were collected by Jo Vallis, FoCH Chair and Chris Roberts, Trustee, who also benefited from a tour of the state of the art blood transfusion unit where all Scottish blood supplies are processed and latest blood cells research conducted. Thank you Scott. If only Chitambo could benefit from such facilities.
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| Jo accepts boxes of face masks from Scott |
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Consignment of FoCH business cards
Huge thanks to our wonderful Treasurer, Monika Jaros, for obtaining a consignment of 1,000 FoCh business cards at very reasonable cost, whilst home in Poland. We are most grateful for that.
The cards were created by Helen Davies, Designer, Langarth: CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION
The cards were created by Helen Davies, Designer, Langarth: CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION
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| Monika, Treasurer |
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| Our new business cards |
Generous donation of books
We were greatly honoured to have acclaimed author Callum Christie present at the 'Willd Namibia' fundraising event and are profoundly grateful to him for his immense generosity in donating a bag of his books for sale in aid of Chitambo. He signed 3 copies of the book, 'Goodbye colonialism', for delighted recipients and offered the rest for future sales.
Callum has extensive experience of living and working in pre and post colonial Zambia. All his children were born there and he is an ardent supporter of Zambia today, including Friends of Chitambo.
A time of gifts
Yet more good news. Penicuik General Practitioner (GP), Dr. Kathryn Howe, has presented us with a large box of recent British National Formularies (BNFs) for use at Chitambo. These will be transported to Zambia along with a consignment of surgical face masks very kindly donated by National Services Scotland (NSS) via Kerry Chalmers, Head of Scottish Government's NHS Global Citizenship initiative, once we find a means of transport. Thank you all so much. It's like Christmas has come early for Chitambo?!
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| Dr Kathryn Howe (L), with FoCH Chair, Jo Vallis (R) |
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| Handover of BNFs |
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