MBERESHI MISSION HOSPITAL RECEIVES AUTOCLAVE

The Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) has installed a new autoclave machine at Mbereshi Mission Hospital in Mwansabombwe District of Luapula Province to help improve the health services at the facility.

This follows the facility’s management’s call upon CHAZ to aid the mission hospital with an autoclave machine after the old one became inoperable there by affecting the sterilisation process of medical tools.

Facility administrator, Rev. Diamond Mkandawire said the installation of the new autoclave will go a long way in serving the lives of people in Mwansabombwe District and was thankful to CHAZ for considering the facility because it has been challenging to operate without an autoclave having a catchment area of 70, 000 people.

“Firstly I want to register our deep appreciation to CHAZ for giving us a new autoclave machine,” he said “Working without one was a challenge especially that there was no nearby hospital to sterilize the hospital’s medical tools.”

When there is need for sterilization, hospital staff would travel either 38 KM to Kawambwa District Hospital or 44 KM to St. Paul’s Mission Hospital in Nchelenge.

In some instances, when the medical tools are not sterilized, patients needing to go into the theater would be referred to Kawambwa District Hospital  instead of using the theater at Mbereshi. 

Rev. Mkandawire said the referrals had a cost on the hospitals because of transport requirement to and fro St Paul’s Mission Hospital or Kawambwa District Hospital to take equipment for sterilization. 

Sometimes, one would find the machines at Kawambwa and St. Paul’s Mission Hospital being used. This would entail waiting the whole day just to ensure that the tools are sterilized which was a huge challenge for the hospital.

“With the coming of the new autoclave, the burden will be lifted off the mission hospital, because the facility will now be able to provide services to the community in the quickest possible time and ensure the safety of the patients,” said the Reverend. “Also, resources that could have been used for referrals and fuel will be channeled to other hospital needs.”

An autoclave is a machine used in medical and laboratory settings to sterilise lab equipment and waste. Autoclave sterilisation works by using heat to kill microorganisms such as bacteria and spores. The heat is delivered by pressurised steam. Pressurisation allows the steam to reach the high temperatures that are required for sterilisation.