In Zambia caring for newborns remains a major challenge. Many children die in the first weeks of life due to prematurity, perinatal complications, or infections. In rural areas the problem is not only a lack of specialized equipment – such as incubators or oxygen concentrators – but also limited access to qualified personnel and a stable power supply. That is why establishing a neonatal unit in Katondwe has become a necessity.
Seven Sisters of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculately Conceived live in Katondwe – three from Poland and four from Zambia. In addition to managing the Mission Hospital of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the sisters also work as nurses, anesthetists, and radiologic technologists. The director is Sr. Mirosława Góra ABMV, a surgeon who for 30 years was the only doctor in the district. Today she is supported by three specialists. However, this is still not enough. Only 35% of the required medical positions are filled at the hospital, and government support for the facility amounts to only about 12,000 PLN per month. Despite this, the small medical team helps nearly six thousand patients each year and provides around 15,000 outpatient consultations.
The smallest patients
One patient was admitted to the hospital in the eighth month of pregnancy with bleeding and severe abdominal pain. An ultrasound revealed placental abruption – a life-threatening condition for the baby. The child’s heart, however, was still beating. The doctors proposed a premature cesarean section. The mother knew it was the only chance.
The baby boy was born very small. Just a few years ago, such a child in Katondwe would not have had a chance, but thanks to the neonatal unit, incubators, and attentive care, survival was possible. The boy spent about a month there – kept warm, fed, and closely monitored. When he reached a weight of two kilograms and began to suck on his own, he was able to go home.
Another child was also born in the eighth month of pregnancy. So fragile that the first weeks of life were spent in an incubator. Fed through a tube, and later carefully with the first drops of milk, the baby gained strength day by day. The mother expressed milk daily, and the nurses fed it to the infant. Finally, the day of discharge arrived.
A small bell hangs in the neonatal ward. It rings only when a child who has fought for life goes home healthy. Its sound announces victory. It is a hymn of gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and parents – and above all to the child itself, who has won its first and most difficult battle.
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The Heart of the District
Around a thousand births each year make this hospital the beating heart of the entire district. It receives all complicated cases – hemorrhages, premature births, and infections. The establishment of a neonatal unit was a milestone in the history of this facility. However, the natural and necessary next stage of development is the expansion of diagnostic services, including the construction of a modern hospital laboratory.
The hospital, which was founded 60 years ago and initially had only 20 beds, now has 100. Unfortunately, the existing laboratory has not been expanded in proportion to the growth of the entire facility. Today, the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities do not keep pace with the real needs of patients. There is a lack of space, modern equipment, and appropriate conditions for conducting specialized tests.
Safety concerns are particularly alarming. At present, there is no separate room for tuberculosis (TB) testing, which creates a serious risk of infection for both staff and patients. Biological safety standards clearly indicate the need for isolation and proper ventilation in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. Without a new laboratory, it is difficult to speak of ensuring an adequate level of protection. The construction of a new laboratory is an investment estimated at 350,000 PLN.
The importance of this hospital is hard to overstate. In a remote corner of the world, hidden in the bush, it has become a true oasis of hope. God cares for everyone and sends His missionaries to the ends of the earth, but He also wishes to work through our hands. Let us take part in this mission and support the mission hospital in Zambia, so that the sound of the bell announcing the victory of life may be heard there as often as possible.
