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Director of Zimbabwe hospital gives personal thanks to local supporters
Aug 18, 2007 By: David Blumenfield(Originally published Aug. 23, 2006)
WHITBY -- A medical director on the front lines of the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa made a visit to Whitby to thank local supporters and provide an update about treatment of the disease overseas.
Dr. Paul Thistle, medical director of the Howard Hospital -- a 140-bed Salvation Army hospital in northern Zimbabwe -- was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Whitby, held at the Whitby Public Library on Aug. 22.
With the help of the Rotary Club of Whitby, Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise, and other districts and the international club, approximately $55,000 has been raised for lab support and patient testing at the hospital, said Ray Richardson of the Rotary Club of Whitby.
"They were one of five hospitals in Zimbabwe to get the drugs to treat AIDS patients, and the first rural hospital, but what they were missing were some of the lab and test facilities to properly monitor and screen people," Mr. Richardson said.
In May, the Rotary Club of Whitby embarked on an personal goal to raise money for fuel and medical vehicles at the hospital, as well as a backup generator. The Rotary Club was able to raise approximately $6,000 in fuel funds.
Mr. Richardson said Dr. Thistle, 43, mentioned very blatantly that for every dollar Zimbabwe gets in AIDS funding, other countries, such as South Africa, receive up to $250.
"It's partly because of the political situation," Mr. Richardson said. "He said, 'We're in a place that a lot of people shy away from, but we have the same needs and sometimes greater challenges.'"
The Howard Hospital is situated in a rural area in north Zimbabwe with a catchment area of 250,000. A team of roughly three doctors and 30 registered nurses sees 75,000 people a year, with about 29 per cent of the adult population HIV positive. Much of the work has been done to reduce the mother-to-child transmission of HIV among newborns, Mr. Richardson said.
Kara Piels, a registered nurse at Lakeridge Health Whitby's Positive Care Clinic, an infectious disease clinic which includes the treatment and support of patients with HIV and AIDS, said she and other clinic members visited the Howard Hospital last September.
"(Dr. Thistle) really needs to be commended," Ms. Piels said. "It's a real vocation for him. He does the utmost for people with the minimum of resources. The resources are almost non-existent. I don't know how he manages what he does. He is very dedicated to the work that he does."
Ms. Piels also applauded the support the Rotary Club of Whitby has given to the Howard Hospital over the years.
"They'd be lacking a lot more than what they are. They've supported them tremendously through equipment and funding, which is so needed there," she said.
