St. Mary's Hospital

St. Mary's Hospital is located in Mariannhill, just outside the city of Durban in South Africa's KwaZulu Natal province. The hospital has 200 beds and serves a population of approximately 750,000 people.

St Mary's Hospital is at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS with KwaZulu Natal having the most rapidly increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world. Latest figures show that 26% of the population are infected. About 84 percent of admissions to the hospital are in the maternity and childrens' wards and about 6,000 babies are born there each year. Many of the mothers who are admitted are HIV-positive. Seventy percent of the children in the children's ward - mostly under 3 years old - have full blown AIDS.

The hospital is subsidized by the government, but this covers only 80 percent of the cost. The remainder has to be found from other donors.

For more information about St. Mary's Hospital, go to www.stmarys.co.za

In response to approval of a donation to St. Mary's by the African AIDS Angels project, Sr. Regina, a Missionary Sister of the Precious Blood, sent an e-mail on January 19, 2011.