There were jubilations at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital on Tuesday when AOA Alliance and partners handed over the refurbished Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery department at the referral hospital.
AOA Alliance director Dr Claude Martin said the have decided to intervene as one way of addressing some of the challenges facing the the hospital.
According to Dr Martin, his organisation has been involved in several charitable projects mainly education but decided to extend it’s corporate responsibility to health after being approached by the hospital’s administration.
“We are so impressed with the work done by the local contractor of renovating the old orthopaedic department and the additional of the extra operational ward which will ease the work of burden of doctors at the facility,” he saidA
Dr Martin further said that his organisation has spent US$125 (about K216 million) for the project which he said has been done within three months a agreed.
On his part Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Director Dr Kelvin Mponda described the project as a timely gesture which will help the hospital to treat more patients than it was before.
“The opening of the additional theatre is a milestone in ensuring that we operate more patients within a day easing the pressure we have had in the past,” said Dr Mponda.
He also hailed his staff for their dedication to their work despite minimum resources at the referral hospital.
Dr Mponda also warned the staff against theft of hospital materials which he said is rampant at the facility.
“Currently we have recommended the firing of some staff who were caught of stealing hospital materials to put a stop to would be offenders,” he said.
Previously, the department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery used to operate 30 to 40 patients in a month but the figure is expected to increase following the refurbishment of the introduction of the new ward.
