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Murambinda Hospital, located in the town of Murambinda, Buhera District in Manicaland Province is owned and administered by the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary under the endorsement and supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Harare. It is the only hospital in Buhera District, with a population of nearly 300,000 over an area with a radius of about 100 kilometres.
Old Mutual Zimbabwe recently donated a neonatal ventilator, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), to help improve the health of premature babies in the Buhera and surrounding communities. Premature births are a major health concern in Zimbabwe, with an estimated 10% of all births being premature. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the neonatal mortality rate in Zimbabwe is also high, with an estimated 29 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr Alex Stevenson, President of the African Neonatal Association said, “We can change Zimbabwe’s neonatal mortality rate one neonatal ventilator at a time and one community at a time,”
The donation demonstrates Old Mutual’s commitment and focus towards creating sustainable solutions that address the needs of Zimbabwean communities.
“As Old Mutual, we are committed to being responsible corporate citizens. We believe that our success is tied to the success of those we serve and the communities in which we operate,” said Lillian Mbayiwa, Marketing, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Executive, Old Mutual Zimbabwe.
“The donation of this neonatal ventilator to Murambinda Hospital demonstrates such commitment and we hope that it will go a long way in improving the quality of care provided by Murambinda Hospital,” she said.
The ventilator primarily assists in breathing by keeping the lungs inflated with positive pressure, thereby increasing the survival rate of premature newborns.
“We are very grateful to Old Mutual Zimbabwe for their generous donation of the neo-natal ventilator, a friend in need is indeed a friend indeed and we are happy with the partnership we have with Old Mutual which is premised on serving the community for the good cause of life,” said Mr Taruvinga, Murambinda Hospital Administrator.
“This donation will help us to improve the quality of care we provide to our patients, particularly the pre-mature newborns who require respiratory support. “
Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s donation of neo-natal ventilators to Murambinda will greatly improve the neonatal mortality rate.