Mandimba Rural Hospital gets new US$280,000 operating theatre – Niassa, Mozambique

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Mandimba Rural Hospital gets new US$280,000 operating theatre – Niassa, Mozambique

2:16 CAT | 11 May 2016

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Tuesday inaugurated a new operating theatre in Mandimba Rural Hospital, in the northernmost province of Niassa.

This is an undertaking which cost about 11 million meticais (around US$208,000, at current exchange rates). Most common types of surgery can be performed in the new theatre, including caesarian births.

In the past, Nyusi said, residents of Mandimba who required surgery had to travel to the provincial capital, Lichinga, or cross the border into Malawi.

“Many people pass through Mandimba, since it’s on a transport corridor”, he said. “But until now the hospital couldn’t attend to all the illnesses that occurred. This new theatre is a great step forward in solving the health problems of the population”.

Abrantes Ferreira, a surgical technician at the hospital, told reporters that the inauguration of the operating theatre is a gain, not only for patients, but also for the economy of the hospital. It will save money, and reduce the use of ambulances to ferry patients in need of surgery to Lichinga.

“Last year the cost of fuel and of other expenses to transfer patients (128 cases in all) to the provincial hospital in Lichinga was about 700,000 meticais”, Ferreira said.

Hospital administrator Nuro Ismael said that the great challenge posed with the opening of the new operating theatre is to ensure that there are enough blood donors, for without blood it will be impossible to undertake any major surgery.

“The public are not yet prepared”, said Ismael. “They have not yet understood that giving blood means saving lives. Although blood is not sold, we are working to ensure a snack for blood donors, as an incentive”.

Ismael hopes that the message of donating blood will be carried into Mandimba communities through schools, churches and mosques.

Source: AIM