Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
THE City of Bulawayo is set to establish a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital as part of efforts to strengthen preparedness and response to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
According to a report presented by the Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Mzingwane on May 8, 2026, the Ministry of Health and Child Care established a national Public Health Emergency Operations Centre in 2020 before cascading similar facilities to provincial level, with Bulawayo Metropolitan Province among the beneficiaries.
The report states that the sub-national centres were established to improve the detection of public health emergencies requiring rapid investigation and response.
“A Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) is a dedicated physical or virtual hub for coordinating information, resources and expertise to manage health emergencies. It serves as the central command for preparedness, response and recovery, ensuring clear leadership and efficient decision-making during crises,” reads part of the report.
The report notes that the primary purpose of the centre is to improve the efficiency of responses to public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
It further states that effective PHEOCs are built on three key pillars — trained personnel, established systems and appropriate infrastructure.
“Effective PHEOCs relied on three pillars: people (trained staff), systems (standard operating procedures), and infrastructure (technology and facility),” the report states.
Among the benefits highlighted are improved coordination of emergency responses, rapid decision-making, efficient management of resources and compliance with international health regulations.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has already supplied equipment for the establishment of the centre through the Office of the Provincial Medical Director for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
Equipment received includes two Dell all-in-one desktop computers, four Dell Latitude laptops, three Samsung 85-inch television screens, three Samsung smartphones, a photocopier, a printer cabinet, a hard drive, an inverter and an air conditioner.
The report identifies Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital as the most suitable location for the facility due to its role as the city’s focal point for public health emergencies and its function as an isolation centre.
During discussions, Councillor Roy Sekete proposed that council members undertake a site visit to hospitals in Harare to gain a better understanding of how similar facilities operate.
Responding to the proposal, the Director of Health Services said the project had been conceived after observing the high number of referrals from Mpilo Central Hospital.
The director also revealed that council intends to partner with a private sponsor to establish services for pregnant women at Nkulumane Clinic and supported the proposal for a fact-finding visit.
Following deliberations, councillors resolved to recommend the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at Thorngrove Hospital.
The move is expected to strengthen Bulawayo’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies while improving coordination among health institutions and emergency response teams.
Bongani Ndlovu