Strengthening Rural Healthcare: Gratitude for Mask Donations Amidst COVID-19

In the wake of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the global community witnessed extraordinary acts of compassion and support. While urban communities of Zambia often garnered much attention, it is in the heart of rural communities that countless unsung heroes showed their generosity.

This is the story of Lumezi Mission Hospital which received a lifeline in the form of generous mask donation, which not only protected their healthcare workers but also the surrounding community of Ngwila Village.

“Masks have never been enough, especially for our healthcare workers,” said Facility In-Charge, Sr. Hermenegilda Mbaga, “This is because the masks work both for covid-19 and other surgical requirements.”

Lumezi Mission has faced multiple hurdles in its fight against COVID-19. Lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) was a major concern, leaving healthcare workers vulnerable and risking community transmission. With the scarcity of masks, the facility’s healthcare workers had to make do with long-hour usage and substandard alternatives to quality masks, putting their lives on the line daily.

For this reason, the Church Health Association of Zambia engaged Hope and Healing International on the desperate need for masks in its rural health facilities. 

Hope and Healing International then engaged their partner, Canada Masq, whose spirit of empathy was ignited and an outpouring of masks reached the rural communities of Zambia where facilities like Lumezi Mission Hospital are serving thousands of people all the way from North America, Canada.

The Impact of Mask Donations

The arrival of the much-needed masks breathed new life into the rural health facility. The facility could now offer essential services without the constant fear of viral transmission. 

“Even as the World Health Organisation declares covid-19 as no longer a global health threat, we still have some cases in our community,” added Sr. Mbaga, “We still need the masks for Covid-19 community cases and also other surgical needs in our theatres and laboratories”

CHAZ and, Hope and Healing International

The Churches Health Association of Zambia has been receiving donations from Hope and Healing International since 2019. The donations have included medical equipment and supplies ranging from wheelchairs, hospital beds, incubators, and resuscitators.