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Hospice
and palliative care day commemorations report
Frank Jabson, Loving Hand
November 08, 2006
Hosting organization
1.
Kasirayi Hweta - Director
2. Zandile C. Nyoni Finance and Administration Officer
3. Jabson Frank Information and Programmes Officer
Invited
Officials
Name Organisation
- Moyo M.
J - Bulawayo Health Task Force
- Mlingo O
- Bulawayo City Council
- Chakarisa
C - Bulawayo City Council - Nketa Clinic
- Sibindi
A. K. - DAAC
- Keswa L.H.
- Councilor (Bulawayo City Council)
- Hakamela
C - Zimbabwe Republic Police (Tshabalala)
- Gwatsvaira
- Zimbabwe Republic Police (Tshabalala)
- Masuku H
- Radio Dialogue
- Ndlovu S
- Spot FM
- Chidoori
C - Community Working Group on Health
- Ncube P
- Community Working Group on Health
- Chehore
C - Community Working Group on Health
- Banda O
- MSF
- Gwanyanya
G - Medical Doctor
- Nyapimbi
J - Nhimbe Trust
- Morgan S
- Nhimbe Trust
- Three teachers
from Maranatha Secondary School
- 15 Students
from Maranatha Secondary School
- An estimated
75 community members and children
For
testimonials
- Two patients
from MSF
- Two Caregivers
from Bulawayo Health Task Force
- Two Caregiver
from Loving Hand
Activity
record
The
event started with a march from Nketa 6 Shops. Caregivers from Loving
Hand and Bulawayo Health Task Force took part in the march. Members
from the Nketa and surrounding community also joined in the march.
The march was escorted by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
The
commemorations started at the Nketa Hall with introductions by the
Master of Ceremony, Mr. Sibindi. After introductions, Caregivers
from Loving Hand and Bulawayo Health Task Force gave testimonials
on how they were operating.
Key
points noted in the testimonials:
- Community members
were very eager and wiling to join in Home Based Care activities
- Caregivers
were facing a serious challenge in mobilizing resources for discharging
their duties.
- Such items
as gloves, soap, sheets, blankets, drugs and Vaseline were in
short supply. Caregivers were resorting to using plastic papers
as gloves.
- Support for
Home Based Care was diminishing.
- A general appeal
by Caregivers for support from the business community, Government
and Non-Governmental Organisations.
After
testimonials from Caregivers, some terminal patients also gave their
testimonials. Their main focus of the testimonials was to highlight
the assistance they were getting from the community.
After
testimonials, the Master of Ceremony invited the Councilor of the
area, Mr. Keswa L. to make his presentation. Mr. Keswa thanked Loving
Hand for making efforts in assisting terminal patients. The Master
of Ceremony, who is also the DAAC chairperson also made his presentation.
He highlighted the importance of community participation in assisting
people with terminal illnesses.
Loving
Hand Director, Mr. Kasirayi Hweta thanked all organizations that
had worked with Loving Hand to make the commemorations a success.
Of note was the MSF that had provided transport for the PA system.
MSF had also provided transport for the SFM reporter.
He
highlighted the importance of networking and called upon all organizations
to work together in order to improve service delivery to the community.
The
keynote address was presented by Mrs. Mlingo on behalf of the Director
of Health, Dr. Hwalima.
In
the speech, Dr. Hwalima presented some of the challenges faced by
Caregivers. She said that Caregivers should be trained well so that
they do not end up contracting the disease. She said that the Caregivers
should exercise a
high degree of hygiene so that they stay safe.
The
commemorations ended with a closing prayer from Mr. Moyo from Bulawayo
Health Task Force.
Resources
available
The
following resources were made available
- Pamphlets on
HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment from MSF
- Condoms and
female condoms from MSF
- Testimonials
posters from MSF
- Female condoms
from Community Working Group on Health
- Pamphlets on
HIV/AIDS from Community Working Group on Health
- Posters from
Community Working Group on Health
- Auntie Stella
Kits from Community Working Group on Health
- Newsletters
from Loving Hand
- Brochures from
Loving Hand
- Red ribbons
from MSF
- Bandanas from
Radio Dialogue
- T-Shirts from
Radio Dialogue
- Pamphlets from
Radio Dialogue
- Public Address
system from Radio Dialogue
All
the resources that were made available for the commemorations ran
out. This shows that there is need to have more of such events so
that more literature is availed to the communities.
Regrets
While
the commemorations were scheduled to start at 09:30, there were
some serious delays in getting the services of the police and getting
the participation of students from Maranatha Secondary School.
However
the commemorations went on smoothly it was gratifying to see everything
falling into place.
Visit the Loving
Hand fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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