Children with congenital conditions get second chance at life

Source: Children with congenital conditions get second chance at life – herald

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke in BULAWAYO

IN many corners of the world, a child born with congenital conditions such as a cleft lip, a clubfoot or missing limb is relegated to the margins — unable to walk, speak or attend school, their potential smothered before it can bloom.

But that painful narrative is being rewritten.

Zimbabwe is increasingly leveraging public-private partnerships to strengthen specialised healthcare services, with collaboration between the Government and CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe giving thousands of children born with congenital conditions a second chance at life.

Through this partnership model, more than 5 000 children have received life-changing treatment over the past five years, helping them walk, speak, return to school and live free from stigma.

The specialist paediatric hospital has become one of the country’s key referral centres for children with orthopaedic and reconstructive conditions.

CURE Children’s Hospital executive director Mr Jonathan Simpson said collaboration between the Government and the private sector can close critical gaps in specialised healthcare.

“We signed our memorandum of understanding and transformed what had become a condemned site into a functioning children’s hospital. But what is important is not the buildings themselves; it is what they now represent for families who previously had nowhere to go for specialised surgery for their children,” he said.

Congenital conditions such as cleft lip and palate, clubfoot and limb deformities affect thousands of children globally every year.

According to the World Health Organisation, congenital disorders remain among the leading causes of disability in children, often affecting physical growth, speech development, mobility and social integration when left untreated.

Many children with visible deformities also face discrimination and isolation within their communities, while delayed treatment can affect educational opportunities and future livelihoods.

Mr Simpson said demand for services continues to rise, with the hospital now carrying out about 150 surgeries every month, far exceeding the initial targets set under the partnership agreement.

“Our original agreement was that we would do 300 surgeries a year, then 500 surgeries every year after the third year.

“However, our statistics show that we currently perform about 150 surgeries a month. Sadly, this is because there are so many children in our country that need these surgeries,” he said.

The hospital has also expanded into rehabilitation services through a recently established prosthetics and orthotics department, which is helping children fitted with artificial limbs and assistive devices return to normal life.

Inside the workshop, technicians design and produce custom-made prosthetic limbs for children recovering from amputations or severe deformities.

There are plans, Mr Simpson said, to expand the operating room (OR) to match growing demand, as well as build a conference centre.

“It is not enough to simply perform surgery. A child who loses a limb still needs the opportunity to move independently, go to school and participate fully in society. So, every device here is made specifically for that child to restore dignity and mobility. As the child grows, we continue adjusting the devices to support them,” he said.

The department is currently producing about 60 prosthetic and orthotic devices every month, all provided free of charge to patients.

Hospital matron Mrs Edith Mutsatsa said the partnership model has enabled children from even the most remote parts of the country to access highly specialised services free of charge.

“The majority of our patients are referred to us by Government hospitals. We receive them from all provinces, including very remote districts where families would otherwise struggle to access this kind of care.

The impact goes beyond the surgery itself because once these children recover, they can go back to school, interact freely with others and live more normal lives,” she said.

The facility has also helped at least 20 patients from other countries such as Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and Mozambique.

For families, the changes are often immediate and profound.

Mrs Ana Sabao, from Manica province in Mozambique, remembers the fear and stigma she experienced after giving birth to her daughter Jaciara, who was born with a cleft lip.

After months of uncertainty, the family learnt about CURE Children’s Hospital and travelled to Bulawayo for surgery.

Today, Jaciara is a healthy three-year-old who is able to speak and play like other children.

“People would come just to look at my child and some said I had given birth to a deformed baby because I had done something wrong. I did not know the condition could actually be treated,” she said.

“When I see her now, I see a completely different future for her. I am happy because she can now do everything other children of her age can do,” she said.

As Zimbabwe continues investing in public-private partnerships in healthcare, institutions such as CURE Children’s Hospital are demonstrating how collaboration can expand access to specialised services and transform lives, particularly for children who would otherwise remain trapped by treatable conditions.

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