Katete Quads Fund

Start of the project

So this is what happened first: On 22nd of December 2019 the Katete Quads were successfully delivered at St Francis’ Hospital.
The four babies were delivered through Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS) at 09 40hours by a team Doctors from Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Doctors from Pediatrics were on hand to assess the babies. The Doctors included volunteer Doctors from United Kingdom. The four babies were three females and one male weighing 2400g, 1800g, 1780g and 2000g.

The mother is married and has three other children. The family is involved in peasant farming with no other source of income, in other words the family has no sustainable means of providing for the children.
It is for this reason that the hospital asked to assist in a fundraiding project ‘Let the children live- PROJECT Qfour’.

The quads in special care unit

Co-ordinated fundraising effort

In september partners from Scotland, England and the Netherlands met up for a International Health Conference. Dr Lalick Banda was one of the guest speakers. The partners agreed to co-ordinate efforts, when and where possible.

The fundraising for the quads was the first coordinated effort, whereby every partner distributed news about the progress of the four in their own network.
Hospital staff at St Francis’ fed the webmaster of this website with photos and updates.

Meeting in Scotland

Project partners

Dr Banda at the Conference

Babies’ progress

The babies are doing well and were allowed to go home. Transport was provided, as wel as 36 tins of powdered milk.

Babies at Children’s Ward

Mother with babies at Children’s Ward

Mother in children's ward with her 4 babies

One of the four. The lovely clothes were donated by hospital staff

Project organization

In the course of 2 months the amount of 10,000 pounds was donated by various donors in England, Scotland, Guernsey, Norway, US and the Netherlands. It was decided it would be wise to appoint trustees.
Mr Andrew Cairns from England, who visits Katete on a regular basis, volunteered.
As second trustee Mr Fred Ntongwe, Hospital Administrator, shall be asked to be Mr Cairns’s Zambian counterpart. Mrs Judith Mumba may join the team. Dr Lalick Banda, Medical Superintendent of St Francis’ Hospital remains in charge.

Mr Fred Ntongwe

Mr Andrew Cairns, second from left.

Rest in Peace Tilape

After their discharge from hospital the babies developed a fever. The family went to Nyange Hospital, the nearest clinic, but unfortunately Tialpe died on the way (of sepsis as it turned out.) The trustees and Dr Banda will decide if and how to extend the support to the family and perhaps support other families who are struggling because of multiple births and/or infant health.