United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe

The United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) was founded in 1893 by the American Board of Foreign Missions, predecessor mission program of the United Church of Christ. Global Ministries works closely with this partner church in the many facets of its ministry in Zimbabwe. The denominational membership today is approximately 30,000 people in 47 churches and several preaching points and worship groups. The UCCZ has worked ecumenically on important efforts in Zimbabwe and is responsible for many schools and several health institutions in the country.

Mt. Selinda Hospital is located in the area of one of the first UCCZ congregations founded. The Mt. Selinda Hospital faces many challenges as it provides health care in Zimbabwe=s critical situation of economic crisis, social/ political conflict and the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Currently Mt. Selinda Hospital faces a critical shortage of medical doctors to serve in its different hospital departments. Mt. Selinda sees that it must tap into viable pools of professionals who may come to work at Mt. Selinda for long-term assignments. They see that these potential doctors for Mt. Selinda are most likely to come from Zimbabwe itself as well as from other African countries. The leadership of the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) has requested that Global Ministries work with the UCCZ in finding solutions for this problem at Mt. Selinda Hospital, specifically to secure funding to Atop up@ the salaries of potential medical doctors to work at Mt. Selinda. Currently Mt. Selinda is only able to offer to physicians the salary support that it receives from the government. This amount does not allow them to attract good doctors, nor to retain them for any substantial length of time. Additional financial support to Mt. Selinda for this purpose will allow them to offer better salaries, as well as benefits such as the payment of utilities, housing, and access to a vehicle.