Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a land locked country of approximately 16 million people.

In 2022, ADFA joined specialists from Zimbabwe’s medical institutions and CURE International UK, for the Musculoskeletal Tumour Training Course in Bulawayo.  During the visit, our representative Professor David Wood (orthopaedic surgeon), undertook a comprehensive scoping study of the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and met with the Head of Orthopaedics.  Prof Wood reported that the hospital is well run, and that the Orthopaedic Department is staffed by well-trained surgeons but would benefit from provision of equipment and dedicated operating space.

Since then, ADFA has established a strategic partnership with the relevant entities to continue the exchange of skills with Zimbabwe’s medical professionals.   

Dr Graham Forward, ADFA CEO, visited UBH in May 2024 and established with hospital representatives the first steps of the project:

• Renovating an operating theatre and ward in the Richard Morris Building for use by the Orthopaedic Department (completed in November 2024).
• Provision of a sea container of donated medical equipment from Australia, and orthopaedic implants and instruments from India. The DAK Foundation also agreed to purchase and donate an anaesthesia machine, patient monitors and other vital equipment to improve patient care (completed in December 2024).
• Visiting volunteer medical teams to provide training and mentoring.

A volunteer team (orthopaedic surgeon and volunteer coordinator) visited UBH in January 2025. 

ADFA is working with the UBH team to define the next steps.