THE free cleft lip and palate surgeries conducted at
Chitungwiza Central Hospital last week suffered a setback of machine failure
resulting in 22 patients undergoing the corrective procedure against a target
of about 60. A team of Indian, British and local medical experts, under the
banner of Love Without Reason and in partnership with the hospital, conducted
the surgeries in the dormitory town of Harare.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Love Without Reason president
Dr Adore Banda said they faced challenges with anaesthetic machines during the
screening of patients and the surgeries.
“At the beginning of this programme, machine failure was a
major challenge. Certain connections for anaesthetic machines did not work as
well as other hospital equipment,” he said
“We had to borrow the machines from Parirenyatwa Group of
Hospital and Harare Central Hospital in order for us to proceed with the
screening and the surgeries.
“(As such) we had a low turnout this year. 60 patients were
expected, (but) out of that, 34 patients managed to go under screening and a
total of 22 patients qualified for (the) operation(s).”
Dr Banda said all the surgeries were successful despite the
challenges faced.
“All of the 22 operations that we did were successful
regardless of the machine failure and the unavailability of some drugs,” he
said.
Dr Banda said patients that had failed to undergo the
screening process, due to the machine challenges, had their details captured
under the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Oral Health Center database.
He said they would prioritise the patients in future
surgeries. Sunday Mail
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