VIOLET MENGO
Lusaka
CHRISTMAS came early for patients at University Teaching Hospitals (UTH) when St Ignatius Church took time to cook and feed over 3,000 patients at the hospital.
Chairperson for Charles Chilinda Foundation Brenda Bwalya said the Christmas feeding programme is an annual event that started with one ward at the hospital by late Father Charles Chilinda.
“In 2017, we challenged ourselves to see what else can be done. That is how we took up the challenge.
In Lusaka we cover UTH, Levy, Chainama and John Paul Orthopedic Hospitals. As I speak, there is a team at Levy, Chainama and John Paul hospitals. In total we are covering more than 4,000 patients,” Ms Bwalya said.
She said in terms of cost and the funding of the feeding programme, the parishioners’ community raises the funds through contributions both in monetary and material support.
Ms Bwalya said an excess of K200,000 has been spent on the feeding programme for 2024.
UTH head of clinical care Humphrey Kunda said the gesture by St Ignatius Church is gratifying.
“UTH is a very big hospital with five separate hospitals. We are very happy with what St Ignatius has done to help us feed our patients. We can only encourage the community to emulate what the St Ignatius team has done,” Dr Kunda said.
The meals comprised nshima, rice, chicken, beef and fish….https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
