Mortality in an ophthalmic ward at a tertiary eye unit in Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVE To review and determine the attributed causes of deaths among patients who died in Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital (SKH) Eye Unit Wards between August 1984 and October 2008 STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study of completed BD12 forms and case records of inpatients who died betweenAugust 1984 and October 2008. SETTING Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital Eye Unit, Parirenyatwa Group ofHospitals, Harare, Zimbabwe. RESULTS Eighty three deaths occurred in the unit during the 24 year period, 51% were females and 33.7% were children below 13 years of age. Ninety three percent of deaths among children were attributed to neoplasias, while 22% of deaths among adults were attributed to infections. Non-ophthalmic causes of deaths were seen among adults. CONCLUSION Malignancies are the commonest attributable causes of mortality in the Ophthalmic Wards at Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital Eye Unit. Resource mobilization is essential to improve Eye Care Services.