21 Oct 2019

 Midwife students at the Francistown Institute of Health Sciences have donated a toilet and standpipe to Chalegwa family in the second city.

Five students; Olerile Goitsemodimo, Omphile Molapisi, Patricia Mosotho, Gachala Tshidi and Tshepho Mogale spearheaded the donation.

Ms Goitsemodimo said they saw it fit to donate such things to the family because it was struggling.

Ms Goitsemodimo further said they also found it necessary to build a garden for the family.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, Francistown mayor, Ms Sylvia Muzila, said pit latrines were harmful to the lives of both the children and adults hence the need to have water-borne toilets.

Ms Muzila said maternity mortality affected the whole country, hence the importance of providing the needy with all the necessities to reduce maternity mortality numbers.

She said Francistown City Council managed to build 36 water toilets under the sustainable development goal 11 of sustainable city and community.

Ms Muzila encouraged those still using pit latrines to find a way of getting water closed toilets in their homesteads to avoid health problems that might occur.

For her part, Institute of Health Sciences Francistown senior lecturer, Ms Site Alton said the midwifery department realised that maternity mortality was caused by issues such as viruses, miscarriages and bleeding, hence introduction of community midwifery course by the institution.

Ms Alton said the community midwifery focused more on the impact of culture on child birth and child upbringing, adding that it also focused on environmental issues and their impact on child development.

She said the donation focused on two sustainable goals being goal three of good health and well-being for people and the midwifery students focused a lot more on the pregnant women and children and goal 6 of clean water and sanitation.

Ms Alton said in developing countries; around 70 deaths amongst 100 00 were of maternity mortality hence as the developing country it was necessary to ensure that children did not get pregnant at a younger age and those pregnant received the necessary care.

Ms Gosata Chalegwa appreciated the midwifery students for their donation to her family after realising their needs.

She encouraged all the members of the community to continue having the spirit of togetherness. ENDS