…health workers to get more on-site houses
By Tinotenda Afarasi
The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has built a number of clinics across the country using devolution funds, with Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West provinces topping the list, as the Government moves to ensure everyone seeking health services will get them closer to their homes.
President Mnangagwa acknowledges that health is central to human happiness and well-being, as healthy populations live longer, are more productive, and contribute more to economic progress, hence the deliberate efforts to invest in healthcare facilities.
In his address during the official opening of the out-patients department, male and female wards at the Muduvuri Pan African Hospital in Kadoma recently, President Mnangagwa said in line with Vision 2030 of an upper middle-income society, everyone will have access to decent healthcare services.
“The Second Republic remains determined to achieve improved health outcomes for all, including for the vulnerable and marginalised,” said the President.
“As Government, we are guided by our Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy to accelerate the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063 and ensure the achievement of Universal Health Coverage.
“Significant progress in improving health outcomes and responding to population health needs is being made in the sector. It is commendable that the World Health Organisation Universal Health Coverage service coverage index for Zimbabwe stands at 54 percent, which is higher than the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 44 percent.”
President Mnangagwa also said it was encouraging that the maternal mortality ratio in Zimbabwe has decreased by 15 percent between 2019 and 2022, while Malaria deaths declined by 67 percent over the same period.
In addition, the World Health Organisation has removed Zimbabwe from the list of high Tuberculosis burden countries, in recognition of its success in reducing the burden of TB in recent years.
In keeping with the health sector reform agenda, particularly on increasing access to primary and secondary healthcare, President Mnangagwa said his Government was investing in the training of more specialised health professionals and their subsequent deployment to provinces and districts. The intervention is also supported by the implementation of several strategies to improve the welfare of healthcare staff.
“To this end, the provision of transport, on-site staff accommodation, duty-free motor vehicles importation facility and housing loans, among others, are being availed to our hard-working public servants.
“With regards to health infrastructure, the construction, repair and maintenance of our national health facilities remains critical.
“The strides being made under the devolution and decentralisation agenda, have seen several new clinics being built across provinces and districts.”
At the national level, said President Mnangagwa, the ongoing construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital is being accelerated.
Construction work is underway at Lupane Provincial Hospital, with the project expected to be completed by June 2025.
At the same time, Zimbabwe’s partnership with NMS Infrastructure of the United Kingdom is bearing fruit, with the completion of the state-of-the-art health centre in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
A similar facility, the Stoneridge Health Centre in Harare Province, is already complete and was officially opened by President Mnangagwa in May last year.
It is already serving the people.
President Mnangagwa said given the emerging and complex health dynamics, the Second Republic has made progress in integrating modern and traditional medicine.
“In this regard, we have created an enabling environment and framework for promoting traditional, complementary and alternative medicine packages.
“This has seen the establishment of a Chinese traditional clinic at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Efforts are also underway to open another clinic of a similar nature to ensure equitable access to health services in our country.
“I invite other private sector entities to continue utilising the Health Sector Coordination Framework as we build sustainable institutions and resilient systems in the post Covid-19 era. This must be complemented by our hard-working health practitioners who conduct themselves ethically and professionally in the course of executing their duties,” said the President.
Construction of the Muduvuri Pan-African Referral Hospital by a Zimbabwean, said President Mnangagwa, is a welcome development as the accelerates attainment of Vision 2030.
He commended the proprietor, businessman Mr Jimayi Muduvuri for constructing the hospital, which offers free services to war veterans and the disabled.
On completion, the referral hospital will have 1 540 beds.
Presently, 66 beds are operational.
President Mnangagwa said construction of the hospital was in keeping with “our focus to have people driven development, relying on the potential of the Zimbabwean people”.
“Well done, makorokoto, amhlope, congratulations. The efforts I have witnessed here are a manifestation of our philosophy, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo’. “Comrade Muduvuri and his team have taken a step which should be emulated by all patriotic and progressive Zimbabweans. This is a kind gesture and an act of good corporate citizenship.
“Further, it is a testimony to the fact that the bold and strategic decisions taken by the Second Republic to restructure and reform the public health sector in our country are yielding results,” said the President.
Going forward, he said, local businesspeople are urged to take a leaf from this project and scale up the implementation of projects and programmes that contribute to improved standards of living of citizens.
That way, President Mnangagwa said, collective investments in various areas including the health sector, must result in the continued improvement in the quality of life for all Zimbabweans.
He applauded Mr Muduvuri and his team at Macsherp Group of Companies, for naming the institution to reflect the Pan-African aspirations of the African continent.
“This includes the realisation of health and well-being of our citizens, including those with disabilities and the vulnerable. Such aspects of our aspirations must be reproduced in the long-term operations and service to the citizens, while keeping alive the legacies of the founding fathers, from which some of the wards at this health institution have been named after.
“As you further develop your vision into reality, I urge you to work with various regulatory bodies to operationalise the remaining departments at this facility.
“This will ensure the provision of quality and safe medical services,” said the President.
The Muduvuri Pan-African Referral Hospital honoured one of the late African Statesmen, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, by naming the Out Patients Department after him.
The female and male wings were also named after President Mnangagwa’s late parents, Ambuya Mhurai and Sekuru Mafidhi.
