FoCH/Chitambo Health Partnership
Overall goals
Vision
A healthy Chitambo district
Mission
To advance health in the Chitambo District through specific community driven projects
Aims
Friends of Chitambo’s aim is to support health measures in the hospital and surrounding district, by responding to issues raised by the local staff
1) Improve Emergency Care, to contribute to decreasing mortality and morbidity due to common medical emergencies at district and ultimately national level
2) Provide sustainable oxygen supplies to the hospital, District and beyond, through collaborating with Scottish Government on provision of an Oxygen Generator and pipleline the hospital
3) Provide nurse scholarships for financially disadvantaged students
4) Provide Staff Development Scholarships to enable upgrading of qualifications and skills
5) Maintain ‘Centenary’ ambulance
6) Improve Maternal and Child healthcare, including building a Mothers Waiting Shelter at Chitambo Hospital
Key UK Colleagues and Partners
1. Third Sector (Scotland)
The Swanson Family Charity: This Scottish registered, Ayrshire-based charity is deeply rooted at Chitambo, as is FoCH.
FoCH is both Scottish and Zambian registered and has diverse Board membership, with doctors, nurses and Diaspora members at both ends. We have 21 years of close collaboration with Chitambo Hospital, which was founded, by Scots, in memory of Dr David Livingstone, who died nearby. Descendants of those Scots, founded FoCH in 2003. It became a registered charity in 2012 and a SCIO in 2014.
2. NHS Scotland
NHS Lanarkshire:
We are loosely linked with NHS Lanarkshire on 2 fronts:
i) 2 NHS Lanarkshire Consultants who volunteer with a Zambian flying emergency service (see next section)
ii) A developing Twinning Link between NHS Lanarkshire and Chitambo, inspired by FoCH and initiated by Scottish Government. This is founded on the deep historical links between the 2 communities, through David Livingstone, who was born in Lanarkshire and died at Chitambo.
International Partners
1) Flyspec Zambia: FoCH is collaborating with this flying emergency service through a FoCH member based kin Lusaka, Zambia, and 2 NHS Lanarkshire Consultant who volunteer with it. This has led to Flyspec providing orthopeaedic surgery at Chitambo.
2) New Zealand Rotary: Through a FoCH member based in North Island New Zealand, we are collaborating with an NZ Rotary Club on building a Mothers Waiting Shelter at Chitambo Hospital
3) FoCH Membership: We have global membership in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Germany, who contribute to our work.
Facility/Facilities
Chitambo District Hospital, Chitambo District, Central Province, Zambia
Sustainable development goals
- SDG 1 - No poverty
- SDG 2 - Zero hunger
- SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
- SDG 4 - Quality education
- SDG 5 - Gender equality
- SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities
- SDG 17 - Partnerships for the goals
Funding source
A. UK Fundraising;
1. Third Sector activities:
i. Traditional charity fundraising events: Table sales; bake sales; talks; calendar sales etc.
ii) Permanent charity stall at the Penicuik Storehouse, selling Zambian crafts, sourced from Zambia: https://www.penicuikstorehouse.org/
iii) Regular and one-off charity donations
2. Individual fundraising events:
i) A well wisher undertook a 100 mile sponsored walk, in England, in aid of the MWS project (2023)
ii) A member regularly talks to U3A groups
3. Rotary Club grants: We have had 2 grants via a local, Scottish Rotary club.
4. Trust Funds: We were singled out, by a Trust, for a £9,000 donation to our Mothers Waiting Shelter project (2023)
5. Bequest: We have been offered a bequest
6. Crowdfunding Appeals: We have run 2 very successful campaigns, one in support of the Oxygen Pipeline and one for the Mothers Waiting Shelter
7. Government Grants:
i) Scottish Government Grants: We have benefited from 3 rounds of Scottish Government Small Grant funding for projects on strengthening emergency care communications (2015 to 2021)
ii) UK Government Grants: We received a THET grant for e-learning for nurse training (2010)
International Fundraising:
1. New Zealand: A Club in North Island, NZ, has contributed substantially to wards the costs of building the Chitambo MWS
2. Zambia: A Zambian FoCH member is leading in-country fundraising through sponsored run, walk, and cycle rides; talks on snakebite etc. Chitambo partners have participated in these events
Changes
As above, we are collaborating with Chitambo partners on contributing to a healthier Chitambo District.
We hope that our activities will contribute to quality improvement of maternal and child and emergency care services in Chitambo District, with associated reductions in morbidity and mortality due to complicated childbirth, road traffic accidents and types of trauma.
Project aims
Health related knowledge and skills:
1.Maternal and child health specialists
2. Emergency care and orthopaedic specialists
3.Nurse Educational specialists
Preferably, the above would have experience of working in rural Africa, or insight on this.
Organisational knowledge and skills:
We could also benefit from
1. Organisational Development skills, especially as regards transfer of power
2. Technical skills, especially regarding improvement of social media
And there is much more!