Forumites,
This is a brief appeal for your help (Peter - do remove if not appropriate)...
In June my partner and I are taking a slightly slower mode of transport than even a PA28 can provide and doing a cycle ride around Zanzibar to support the charity HIPZ (Health Improvement Project Zanzibar).
The founder Ru MacDonagh is a consultant surgeon in the UK and has worked for many years in Zanzibar and Tanzania and has established strong links with the Health Sector and the Government over this time.
Their vision is to develop high quality, accessible and trusted health facilities and clinical services to the people of Zanzibar and the neighbouring island of Pemba and in doing so, develop a model of healthcare provision which can be replicated in other countries.
The island of Zanzibar has one main hospital in Stone Town which acts as a referral centre for a population in excess of 1 million people. There are 2 smaller district hospitals – one in the north (Kivunge) and another in the south (Makunduchi).
Average life expectancy is a staggering 47 years. One in 180 women die during delivery of their child and 1 in 6 children die under the age of 7 with the majority dying when aged less than 2 years. The Makunduchi Project was the first phase, and since 2006 HIPZ has successfully transformed the hospital.
There is still much more to do and building on the success at Makunduchi, the Government of Zanzibar has asked HIPZ to transform another, much larger and more challenging hospital at Kivunge. HIPZ will then be responsible for healthcare delivery serving a combined population of nearly 250,000 people. Improving Kivunge Hospital will have a dramatic effect on the whole process of healthcare delivery to the population of Zanzibar and its future as a developing country.
If any of you feel that you can maybe spare a small donation, perhaps proportionate to the cost of your next taxi out the runway, that would really be a great help in supporting the work being done to improve health care on the island.
