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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Citimed Hospital in Chitungwiza has partnered with Government and Higherlife Foundation to offer free treatment to 102 children suffering from hernia.

The children are aged between 18 months and 12 years. Normally, the operation cost an average of US$1 000.

Screenings were done over the weekend, while the procedures started yesterday and will run until Friday.

Hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an organ pushes through an opening in the muscle or tissue that holds it in  place.

Hernias are most common in the abdomen, but they can also appear in the upper thigh, belly button, and groin areas.

In an interview, Citimed Hospital public relations manager Mr Munyaradzi Mhlanga said the turnout has already surpassed their targeted number.

“We were overwhelmed by the number of people that came over the weekend for screenings,” he said.

“We had targeted 100 people, but 187 came in and only 102 were eligible to go ahead with the procedure.

“However, the screenings are still on-going, but we will find another date when the patients can come and have the procedures done. As of now the doctors are operating 20 patients per day.”

Mr Mhlanga said the free operations were part of their annual social responsibility programmes.

“As an institution, we have a corporate social responsibility where we assist patients, especially those that are underprivileged to get free access to surgeries like in this case hernia surgery,” he said.

“It is always important to give back to the community that you serve and those that are financially incapacitated and also those that live in rural areas must have the chance to become beneficiaries of such programmes.”

Mr Mhlanga said conducting free surgeries was also a way of complementing Government efforts in helping people with this kind of an ailment.

Recently, the hospital opened a cervical cancer screening clinic which is being administered in partnership with the Organisation for Public Health Intervention and Development and the Ministry of Health and Child Care.