MINISTRY GETS ICU EQUIPMENT
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care yesterday received ICU equipment, including ventilators, multi-parameter monitors, intensive care patient beds and infusion pumps from the World Bank and Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development AID (CORDAID).
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro said the equipment will be used to support the management of Covid-19 inpatients as part of strengthening case management.
He said the commodities will be distributed to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Chitungwiza Central Hospital.
“The objective of the project is to increase coverage and improve the quality of an integrated package of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition services,” Deputy Minister Mangwiro said.
“The project also strengthens Covid-19 response and institutional capacity to manage performance based contracts consistent with the recipients ongoing health initiatives.”
Deputy Minister Mangwiro said Zimbabwe took pride in investing in the health care system. “As the Government, we take pride in investing in our health care systems and this is why
we have set aside funds dedicated for Results Based Financing (RBF) and to date over $18, 2 million has been disbursed to support the project,” he said.
He said Government will further contribute US$24,6 million to continue its efforts to increase coverage of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, adolescent health and nutrition services as well as the Covid-19 response.
He added: “We received 21 000 gene xpert cartridges to improve diagnosis of Covid-19 and these were distributed in all provinces.”
“We also received personal protective equipment that was purchased for health personnel working in isolation health care facilities and hospitals.”
CORDAID leader Dr Endris Seid
said they were indebted to the Government for giving them an opportunity to be the project implementing entity for Health Sector Development Support Project (HSDSP) AFV.
“The Government has received grant to the tune of US$25 million for the HSDSP AFV funded by the World Bank and the Zimbabwean Government is co-financing this project with US$24.6 million,” he said.
“US$5 million has been allocated to support National Covid-19 response and the priorities being supported under this component are guided by the national Covid-19 response plan focusing on supporting areas which are not covered by the Government and other donors across different pillars of the response.”