Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) ploughs back to community
Staff Reporter
HARARE, The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) has said organisations should value social responsibility programmes which brings positive changes to beneficiaries.
ICZ chairperson Panganai Sanangurai, said the association takes seriously the role of being a socially responsible, and every year identify a community in need that requires assistance with an aim to provide assistance that brings positive change and long term relief.
“In 2019, with the assistance of you our valued stakeholder, the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe came to the aid of the Rutengeni Primary and Secondary Schools in Chipinge which where destroyed by Cyclone Idai. We managed to build classroom blocks, ablution facilities and an administration block.
“Moving into 2020, ICZ identified the Ruwa Rehabilitation Hospital as the beneficiary for the programme. The hospital was a preferred choice mainly because the services it provides have a link to the insurance business,” he said during an ICZ CHARITY GOLF DAY dinner.
The golf day which was supported by various companies, individuals and ICZ members was aimed at raising funds to assist the Ruwa Rehabilitation Hospital.
The hospital provides rehabilitation to victims with bone structures injuries as a result of various accidents.
Sanangurai said the insurance industry is involved in compensating such victims through claims and at times this includes payment of disability benefits as well as physical rehabilitation.
“Some of our beneficiaries end up at the Ruwa Rehabilitation Hospital,” he said.
Unfortunately, he noted, the hospital is incapacitated in various way due to non-functional equipment or lack of it. Sanangurai said the hospital has a long wish list of items that it requires assistance with.
“The funds raised today shall be used to address some of the most important needs namely drilling and piping a borehole to provide water to the hospital, rehabilitating the hydro-therapy pool and equipping the occupational therapy room. The provision of the mention items will undoubtedly capacitate the hospital in its day to day service delivery,” he said.
Ruwa Rehabilitation Hospital, Medical Superintendent, Dr Robert Musara said Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre and Hospital is a Government facility for people with severe spinal cord and or head related injuries/trauma and handles referrals for such injuries from all government hospitals around Zimbabwe.
He said these injuries may arise from road accidents, mining accidents or other incidents.
“We help patients to regain the ability to do normal everyday tasks by restoring old skills and teaching patients new skills to adjust to injuries and disabilities through adaptive equipment. At full capacity this would be done through the provision of assistive devices, aids and appliances to improve function in self care skills such as bathing, feeding, grooming, toileting, work skills, productive activities, housekeeping, childcare and recreational activities,” he said.
However presently the hospital is operating far below capacity and this has had a direct impact on the services that we can offer.
“Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre continues to face operational challenges, including shortage of essential equipment for both occupational therapy and physiotherapy services and consumable supplies,” said Musara.
The hospital critical needs include:
Borehole (the hospital has no water supply, presently the hospital runs on paid water deliveries).
Hydrotherapy pool (the pool last functioned over 20 years ago)
Occupational therapy equipment
Exercise equipment
Hydraulic beds
Ward curtaining
Xray machine
Consumables
