Latest news with #SleimanKwidini
Middle East
4 days ago
- Health
- Middle East
OPEN// TV BRICS: UAE donates medical equipment to Zimbabwe to strengthen emergency care
ABU DHABI, July 18 (MENA) - The UAE has donated medical equipment worth dlrs 700,000 to Zimbabwe, bolstering the country's emergency-care capabilities and saving lives nationwide, TV BRICS reported. The donation, which includes 74 ICU ventilators and 34 tons of essential medical supplies, was officially handed over in Harare. The handover ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe, Sleiman Kwidini, and the UAE Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jassim Mohamed Al-Hassanini. The aid comes at a time when Zimbabwe is modernizing its healthcare system. Kwidini noted that the equipment will provide significant assistance to patients with life-threatening conditions. Hassanini reaffirmed the UAE's ongoing commitment to Zimbabwe through development and humanitarian cooperation. "We hope this medical assistance will have a positive impact on the lives of Zimbabweans," he said. Health experts anticipate that the new ICU ventilators will significantly improve survival rates in intensive-care units across the country. (MENA) R R N/
The Star
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
China, UNFPA conclude health assistance program for Zimbabwean women, girls affected by Cyclone Idai
HARARE, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday signed the certificate of completion for a China-aided health assistance program for women and girls affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai, which hit the eastern parts of Zimbabwe in 2019. The concluded project, which ran from 2020 to 2024, was funded by China through the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund and implemented by UNFPA in partnership with Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care to address the reproductive health needs of women in the most affected areas. Tropical Cyclone Idai damaged healthcare infrastructure and limited access to essential services, leaving Zimbabwe facing a maternal health crisis, which was further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the crisis, the project was implemented to strengthen emergency obstetric and neonatal care in the cyclone-affected districts of Chipinge and Chimanimani. According to UNFPA, the project contributed to 63,327 deliveries, including 8,567 cesarean sections. A total of 10,862 pregnant women benefited from refurbished maternity waiting homes, while 94,643 women accessed modern family planning methods. The project also contributed to the reduction in maternal mortality from 462 to 363 deaths per 100,000 live births. In addition, a total of 296 healthcare workers were trained in emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Speaking at the signing ceremony held in the national capital of Harare, Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Kwidini expressed gratitude to China for the assistance. "Most of the people affected were pregnant mothers who needed assistance at that time. Because of the disaster, however, there was nowhere for them to go. With UNFPA, China has provided assistance by doing all those good works that have reduced maternal mortality," Kwidini said. He also said the program aligns with the government's aim of ending neonatal mortality, adding that without a healthy nation, Zimbabwe can not attain its developmental goals. On his part, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the program stands as a shining example of successful tripartite cooperation among China, UN agencies, and Zimbabwe. "It has proved that collective action and solidarity are the most powerful tools in overcoming challenges. Within the frameworks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, South-South cooperation, and other initiatives, China is ready to engage in tripartite and multipartite cooperation with more international partners to jointly propel Zimbabwe's economic and social development and revitalization, and help realize the country's Vision 2030," said Zhou.
