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.