Zimbabwe
(BGR/MNN) — Once upon a time, Zimbabwe's hospitals were the model of
healthcare in Africa.
However,
the health sector has borne the brunt of that nation's economic crisis. It has left hospitals grappling with
shortages of essential supplies, equipment, and a critical lack of trained
workers.
Sanyati
Baptist Hospital is not immune to the hard times. Although it has nearly 60-years'
investment in Zimbabwe in healthcare, education and more, limited funds and
resources have placed the hospital in crisis.
On
average, the hospital sees about 35,000 outpatients and 1,800 in patients.
Having an adequate facility for child births and minor surgical procedures
makes this a very important and vital busy hospital.
At
a time when AIDS, TB, cholera, and malaria have risen, the hospital finds itself
short of the drugs needed to treat the diseases. Shortages of water and electricity have
created difficulties in providing prompt care. Often, patients are asked
to return in hopes that power or water will be restored.
Baptist
Global Response and Samaritan's Purse teams provided enough medical supplies and
water solutions to keep the doors open. But these first few donations
only opened the door to see how much deeper the need truly is.
Areas
of the facility have fallen into disrepair. BGR wants to mobilize volunteers from both U.S. and Zimbabwe churches to fix
the hospital and bring up other portions of the station to working order.
When
all of the projects were tallied, it was clear the extreme makeover was going to
be a five-year commitment. For example,
last year, teams worked on the installation of a solar power system, repaired
the chapel, and built a dorm for housing volunteers that will be used for
nursing students after the makeover is completed.
This
year, projects include repairing or replacing as much of the roof as
possible. The remaining years of 2013, 2014, and 2015
will complete all of the other work. This ranges from window repair,
ceilings, electrical, plumbing, tile, cabinetry, painting, etc.
Pray
that the required building materials for each volunteer team can be acquired
and on site before the team arrives. Ask
God to provide regular supplies of water and electricity so work can be done
effectively.
Pray that the volunteer teams will have an
impact on the Sanyati community at large. Ask God for Gospel opportunities.
