Luanda – The Angolan First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, delivered this Thursday, in Luanda, several goods for the Paediatrics Section of the General Hospital of Luanda.
Within the scope of the platform dubbed “Roda do Amor” (Love Circle) and in association with the government's effort to promote children's rights and equity, the First Lady's office delivered disposable diapers, wipes, oral and body care products, as well as milk and porridge .
This donation is the third parcel of goods delivered to the said paediatric unit. The first one was in the year 2018 and the second one in 2019.
According to Ana Dias Lourenço, support for the paediatric unit at the General Hospital of Luanda results from the collaboration of her office with partners who decided to join the “Roda do Amor” platform.
“This support is only possible thanks to the support of our partners, through their companies which, since 2018, have expressed their willingness to give these children what is necessary”, she said.
In this sense, the first lady called on the management of the hospital for more dedication, commitment and responsibility in the treatment of children.
On the other hand, the director of the “Hospital Geral de Luanda” , Carlos Zeca, said that the support provided benefited 22. 942 children, within the scope of the solidarity project “Roda do Amor”, which also allowed 511 patients with malnutrition to be recovered.
He also added that since 2018 the hospital has received food supplements and various hygiene products, bedding, clothing for the sick, disposable diapers and toys.
In terms of outpatient care, Carlos Zeca said that malaria tops the list of occurrences and the daily rate of hospitalization is between 40 and 60 cases, considering the late arrival of patients to the hospital's Emergency Department.
During the first quarter of 2021, the hospital unit recorded a mortality rate of 0.1 percent, a lower figure compared to the same period in 2020, when it recorded a rate of 0.8 percent.
Malaria continues to top the list of causes of death at the General Hospital, which has 60 percent of its hospitalization reserved for the paediatric unit, whose capacity is 219 beds and 12 incubators. It serves children and teenagers (from zero to 14 years).