Doctors, priests and donors who donate money save lives in Africa. In Zambia, two hospitals were equipped. They receive sick people and victims of wild animal attacks – including children, bitten by snakes or bitten by hippos and crocodiles.
In a hospital in Katondwe, Zambia, doctors amputated the hand of a boy who had been bitten by a cobra. The father agreed to let us show his son's face. To save him, he walked with him to this hospital for two weeks, from Mozambique.
Katondwe is located in southeastern Zambia, close to the borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Patients from these three countries come to this unique hospital in the region all year round. These include people harmed by animals living in the border river Luangwe.
– After being bitten by a crocodile, a hippopotamus, we even had patients injured by an elephant, so there are a lot of them – comments Sr. Edyta Wójtowicz from the Hospital in Katondwe in Zambia.
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Therefore, bringing orthopedic equipment to this hospital and creating an emergency room there significantly improved the level of treatment. The next child operated on was Filip – using new equipment. He managed to save his hand.
– We managed to open a fully operational orthopedic department, the same orthopedic department as in any hospital in Poland – says Bartłomiej Osadnik, orthopedist and traumatologist.
Polish doctors are the unsung heroes of Zambia
The money for this equipment and renovations, not only in Katondwe, but also in the second hospital, in Mpanshya, was obtained thanks to a collection organized in Poland by the Dominican Adam Szustak. In Mpanshya, an intensive care unit will be opened in rooms built from scratch. There has been no such branch so far.
– We receive a lot of people who are victims of various types of accidents, so the intensive care unit will be very useful – says Sister Martha Muyambo from the Hospital in Mpanshya in Zambia.
Polish doctors are the unsung heroes of changes in Zambian health care.
– My name is Adam Cymbalak, I am an anesthesiologist from Poznań. This is my third time in Zambia. You could say that I have established permanent cooperation with this center – says Adam Cymbalak, an anesthesiologist.
– We try to provide them with our knowledge and skills as much as possible, so that they can later operate here independently and use all the equipment given to them – says Marcin Galilejczyk.
In October, the UN reported that due to a gigantic drought unheard of in this part of Africa, Zambia and neighboring countries are on the brink of a natural disaster. Because of this, there are now approximately 21 million malnourished children living here.
– Don't leave us alone. Please don't leave. Come, let's work together – appeals Sister Edyta Wójtowicz.
Main photo source: Bartłomiej Osadnik