Tuesday 17 May 2016

Elephant & Baby

In Scotland's capital in June 2016??
 
Help us celebrate summer with a wee taste of Africa in central Edinburgh!

Join us at the Grassmarket Community Centre, Edinburgh: http://grassmarket.org/

On: Saturday 25th June 2016
At: 1pm
 
To hear Edinburgh GP, Dr. Bridget Innes, talk about her medical work and baby elephant conservation in rural Zambia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Book a place on our Eventbrite link: 
 
This event is by donation to Friends of Chitambo SCIO (Registered Charity No. SC044337).
 
We support health projects at Chitambo Hospital, central Zambia, where Scottish missionary/explorer Dr. David Livingstone died.  
 
This particular event supports our Emergency Radio Appeal, to save lives through providing high frequency digital radios to remote, rural clinics.
 
We look forward to welcoming you.  Crafts, snacks, and some small prizes on offer.

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Lighting up Mpelembe Remote Rural Health Clinic

Great news via the Chitambo District Emergency WhatsApp support network!

Mpelembe Rural Health Clinic (RHC) has received a donation of a generator from the Zambian Prevention, Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT):
http://www.fhi360.org/projects/zambia-prevention-care-and-treatment-partnership-zpct-bridge-zpct-ii


Mpelembe RHC generator

This partnership is funded by the American NGO Family Health International (FHI) 360: http://www.fhi360.org/

Mpelembe RHC is the biggest of  Chitambo District's 'hard to reach' clinics  http://u.osmfr.org/m/60291/

 Based in the remote Bangwelu Swamps, where Scottish missionary/explorer Dr. David Livingstone died, it is almost a mini hospital, yet it has no mobile phone connectivity and no electricity.

The clinic is over 100 kilometres from Chitambo Hospital, on bad roads.  In the rainy season (November to March), the roads are flooded and the clinic is all but cut off.

Obstetric emergencies and severe malaria are major medical emergencies in this area.

The generator will make a vast difference to emergency care provision enabling, for example, lighting for night time deliveries as well as for minor surgery, vaccine storage and many other medical needs.

The generator will also complement our Emergency Radio Appeal, which seeks to upgrade existing (solar powered) radios to high frequency digital radios so that Mpelembe and other Chitambo District RHC can call Chitambo Hospital direct, in case of emergency.  This will save lives, particularly  of women in childbirth, who are currently vulnerable to lengthy delays in accessing skilled obstetric help.

America is doing a lot for Chitambo District.  The re-building of the Chitambo School of Nursing was funded via PEPFAR  funding from America (http://www.pepfar.gov/), hence the American Ambassador was the guest of honour at the first graduation ceremony (September 2015):



Mickey and Jackie Baillie, from North Carolina, USA, founded the highly successful Agape Village Foundation orphanage at Chitambo: https://www.facebook.com/Agape-Village-Foundation-132817120127649/



Please join us in helping to build on these great achievements to make a real difference in  this remote area of central Zambia

See our Total Giving button  to the right of this page











Monday 2 May 2016

Operation Life Wrap

One long journey, from Hong Kong, 47 WhatsApp messages and many photos later (!) evidence that the Life Wraps have finally arrived safely at Chitambo and have been tested by the health care team.

Thanks to all involved and hoping that these will make a real difference to survival, particularly of expectant mothers, in this remote, rural area.  The photos speak for themselves.  We are now aiming to complement this with our Emergency Radio Appeal, so that Chitambo District expectant mothers, especially those in the remotest 'hard to reach' Bangwelu Swamp area, where there is no mobile phone connectivity, will stand a fighting chance of survival.