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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter

FIRST LADY Auxillia Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation yesterday handed over 120 litres of fresh milk to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Chitungwiza Central Hospital, to meet the health and nutritional requirements of patients at the referral institutions.

According to experts, milk is packed with important nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium and vitamin D. It’s also an excellent source of protein. 

Drinking milk and dairy products may prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures and even help one maintain a healthy weight.

The foundation’s board member Mrs Rachel Nield-Geranios said the First Lady, being the health ambassador, gave referral hospitals milk for the benefit of patients.

 “I trust and believe that this donation will assist the hospitals in providing admitted patients with nutritious feeding during their stay. 

“Food is a basic human need and everyone, regardless of class in society and creed should have access to nourishment,” she said.

Mrs Nield-Geranios said Angel of Hope Foundation was determined to assist Zimbabweans who come from remote backgrounds, the underprivileged, the marginalised, women, youth and children.

“We travel the width and breadth of Zimbabwe repeatedly assisting in the best way we can, the elderly, the orphaned, disabled, child-headed families, women, youth, children including the girl child. 

AS Angel of Hope Foundation, leaning upon the founder and patron, Her Excellency the First Lady, Ambassador for Health, do promise to continue working at the best of our ability as a charitable organisation in assisting with the accessibility of healthcare products to the Zimbabwean populace,” she said.

Chitungwiza Central Hospital acting chief executive, Dr Michael Chiwanga, expressed gratitude to the mother of the nation for the donation.

“We are very grateful to Her Excellency for providing us with milk for our patients in our wards. We fully appreciate and are thankful for the gesture.  May the memory of our hospital continue to linger in her mind in future so that we get more goodies from her,” he said.

Mbuya Nehanda Hospital’s acting operations director Mr Orient Dube, acting principal nursing officer Kerith Mukumbu and acting food services manager Ms Keretia Mandivenga thank Angel of Hope Foundation board vice chair Mrs Chipo Mtasa and board member Mrs Rachel Nield-Geranios for the milk donation yesterday.

Sally Mugabe Central Hospital public relations officer Mrs Juliet Chikurunhe said: “We had the privilege to receive a donation of milk from Angel of Hope Foundation. 

“This will go a long way in assisting our patients because food is part of treatment to manage patients all over. Here we have children, women and the underprivileged from all corners of Zimbabwe. 

“We are grateful to Amai, as a patron and Ambassador of the Ministry of Health and Child Care. On behalf of the chief executive officer and all management here we thank you so much for the milk you have sent us Amai,” she said.

Parirenyatwa Hospital operations director Mr Orient Dube said: “We really appreciate this gesture which you gave us. 

“We know our mother has always been coming here to give us some donations and we are grateful that today she has come with milk which is a very important provision which we use in the hospital. 

“Milk is used for preparing our fruits and feeds for the children. For our patients, we use milk because it is nutritious, so without milk we face difficulties in terms of food.”

Milk is important to the dietary needs of people as it contains proteins, calcium, fat, vitamins and nutrients. It is used to prepare clinical feeds for those taking nasogastric feeds, which is feeding through the tube.

Mr Dube added that they also use milk as a snack mostly in the paediatric department and burns unit where there are patients with high protein and calorie needs. 

Angel of Hope Foundation vice board chair Mrs Chipo Mtasa and board member Mrs Rachel Nield-Geranios hand over milk on behalf of First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa to Chitungwiza Hospital acting chief executive officer Dr Michael Chiwanga yesterday

“It is also a main dietary component for maxilla patients and used in palliative care for cancer patients before and after radiotherapy. 

“We also use milk in the preparation of our general diets and dishes like chicken casserole and soups,” he said.

This is not the first time the First Lady has worked closely with hospitals as she recently provided food, clothing and baby blankets for newborns and their mothers.

Through her Angel of Hope Foundation, she has also been actively involved in mobilising resources and other equipment for hospitals countrywide.