The dire situation at Ingutsheni Mental Hospital in Bulawayo has provoked two organisations in the United Kingdom to mobilise funds to purchase food and blankets for the 600 patients at the institution.
Ingutsheni Appeal started by Nobuhle Mguni a Zimbabwean woman based in the UK, in partnership with Mthwakazi on Diaspora are on a mission to raise £4000 for the hospital.
Mguni said she was motivated to set up the online fundraising campaign after she came across a newspaper article detailing the dire situation at the hospital, where patients are at risk of starvation.
The hospital caters for mentally ill patients from all over the country, who are treated for free.
In a recent interview, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Leonard Mabandi, said the hospital was facing difficulties sourcing food for its patients.
“We need farming implementations such as a tractor, irrigation schemes, a borehole should be drilled and we will be able to grow maize and other vegetables without relying on the rains.
“We have another six hectares this is where we plants our vegetables and butternuts that supply the kitchen but we need these farming implements as soon as can be,” Mabandi told an online publication.
The appeal was launched early May on GoFundMe, an online crowd funding platform – www.gofundme.com/tyzrjs
“Unfortunately Like many Zimbabwean institutions during these difficult financial times the funding they have does not always meet the requirements of the Hospital and its patients. There are many things that the hospital needs. The school of nursing needs journals so that through education they can improve patient care.
“The hospital is also short of medication and food stuff as patients are said to be starving. Blankets are another necessity as Zimbabwe is at the beginning of its winter months and there is no heating system in this hospital. Ingutsheni Appeal working alongside Mthwakazi on Diaspora is kindly appealing for any donations from well-wishers to cater for the needs of patients towards purchasing of food and blankets,” read part of the appeal.
The appeal had raised £255 by the time the article was published.
