The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
ELEVEN-year-old Musa from Hope Fountain near Esigodini has not set foot in a learning centre all his life because he has a Cerebral Palsy, a group of disorders that affect one’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. This condition prevents him from walking, talking and even swallowing food at times. He relies on his grandmother who has to carry him on her back from one place to another.
Cerebral Palsy is caused by an abnormality or disruption in brain development most often before a child is born. However, in some cases the cause is unknown. Because of failure to seek medical attention caused by lack of funds, Musa has never had any specialist aid rendered as his grandmother cannot afford even a bus ride to the city to get help.
Musa’s case is not unique. Many children living in the city and beyond have not had the opportunity to get medical attention as there has been no dedicated and affordable specialists available to assist.
However, children with Cerebral Palsy and other physical disabilities and conditions have been afforded the rare opportunity to get free medical treatment following the opening of an exclusive orthopedic children’s hospital in Bulawayo recently that will be treating children with rare conditions for free.
Mr Jonathan Simpson the Chief Executive Officer for the new Orthopedic Hospital, named Cure Children’s Hospital notes that children living with disabilities have been deprived of the lifestyles they deserve owing to a number of reasons.
“While the estimates on the number of children living with disabilities in Zimbabwe vary, there is consensus that people with disabilities are an underserved population. Young people with disabilities are not likely to go to school, or to be employed. Additionally, they are at great risk due to their vulnerability to be exploited and often face significant emotional and physical abuse. Few organisations exist to meet the comprehensive needs of children with disabilities,” he said.
Mr Simpson said such developments have led to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and the Zimbabwe Orthopedic Trust (ZOT) jointly developing and signing a Public Private Partnership concession to which gave birth to Cure Children’s Hospital.
“This was the beginning of what has already become a fruitful relationship. Not one that simply benefits the two entities, but an agreement that will benefit the children of Zimbabwe for years to come. The aim of this agreement is to provide a realistic and transferable model for public and private service providers to work together to improve medical facilities and services, and provide outstanding health care for the people of Zimbabwe.
“The main component of this agreement is this – the first and only Charitable Pediatric Orthopedic Hospital offering corrective surgical care to children with disabilities. Our hospital will make the health and spiritual well-being of these children a priority,” he added.
The ZOT board has managed to raise over US$5 million to build the hospital and have a dedicated team of 47 healthcare staffers and hope to reach the desired 65 by the end of the year. Mr Simpson said the hospital will include conditions such as angular limb deformities, congenital upper and lower limb conditions such as clubfoot, bowed legs and knock knees, rickets, osteogenesis imperfecta and cerebral palsy.
At full capacity the hospital hopes to do over 2,000 procedures a year but are now doing 500 surgeries a year owing to their limited capacity at the present moment.
Mr Simpson noted that, in Zimbabwe, there were thousands of children with disabilities that could be treated. Until now, their lives have often been without freedom, choice or hope but the establishment of the children’s hospital shines a ray of hope for the children and their guardians as their lives are set to improve.
Mr Jonathan Simpson
Mr Promise Taka, the administrator for Mustard Seed Communities Africa, a Bulawayo based organisation that houses children with disabilities welcomed the presence of the new hospital saying it will transform the lives of many children in Bulawayo.
“Generally, medical attention is beyond the reach of many. Worse for children with disabilities as they have many needs on top of costly medical attention which most average people cannot afford. The introduction of this hospital in our community comes as a great relief, especially for us at Mustard Seed Community where we are taking care of 27 children with various disabilities. These children require surgeries, lifelong medication, diapers for the rest of their life, special diets and assistive devices, the list is endless.”
He added that, “Cure Children’s Hospital could not have come at a better time as it will ease the burden of having to meet costly medical bills. Again, children will be able to receive timely medical attention while they are still young before permanent damage sets in,”.
Mr Taka noted that some of the challenges children with disabilities face were exorbitant specialist service fees and limited places where such services could be sought. In most instances where corrective surgeries would be performed doctors from outside the country would come up to set up clinics. These services have now been brought to the doorstep of the deserving communities at no cost.
“Children would grow old without getting the corrective surgery making it difficult when they are older to correct the damage. Rehabilitation is expensive and there is still a lot of stigma as some healthcare practitioners are not trained to handle them,” said Mr Taka.
Mr Simpson said the hospital has further created more partnerships with UBH.
“We already have solid plans to build another 40-bed ward, a multi-purpose training facility and laboratory, whilst also upgrading our support services such as laundry and storage. We have also taken deliberate moves to partner with existing structures where possible.
Instead of building our own orthopedic workshop, we have purposefully chosen to partner with the Bulawayo Orthopedic Center at UBH to produce the essential orthotics we need.
“These developments will enable us to offer a programme to support pediatric orthopedic surgical training as well as work closely with the nursing school at UBH, so as to play our part in raising the next generation of orthopedic surgeons and nurses in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Simson.
Cure Children’s Hospital officials noted that healing must be both on the outside and on the inside as they also aim to tap into the spiritual needs of the children.
“Our organisation is here because of Jesus’ calling to “heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God”. We acknowledge that, in addition to the surgeries, there is a great deal of need in terms of psychosocial support when treating children with disabilities. Often, children are traumatised by the stigma and shame they face due to their disabilities and so, while they are here, we also take the opportunity to ensure that children receive the counselling they need. Our hospital is a safe place for children, where we hope they will experience the love of Christ,” added Mr Simpson.
In an effort to leave no child behind, the hospital will also offer outreach clinics to review children in district hospitals and clinics prior to their treatment at the hospital.
“We know that not every child will be able to come to us and so we want to make sure that communities in the remote areas of the country know about the services we can offer. We also intend to engage families, churches, and community leaders in various platforms on the topic of disability to raise awareness and to tackle the stigma that is so often attached to disability,” said Mr Simpson. -@NyembeziMu
