Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
Government has spent US$27.5 million on the procurement of cancer diagnostic and treatment machines for Parirenyatwa and Mpilo Hospitals, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora has announced.
Dr Mombeshora made this statement in the National Assembly on Wednesday while responding to questions about how funds collected from the sugar tax introduced last year have been utilised.
“As the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we have awarded tenders to two companies for Parirenyatwa and Mpilo hospitals. In total, we spent US$27.5 million,” he said.
“We submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion the necessary documents for them to pay the 30 percent deposit as per the agreement and in accordance with the suppliers’ instructions. The suppliers indicated that these are costly machines.”
Dr Mombeshora added that contracts with the suppliers have already been signed.
“It has been over two months since we signed the agreements. Therefore, it is now up to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion to pay for the machines so that they can be installed.
“The suppliers have stated that the machines will be manufactured and installed within 36 weeks. We expect that by December, the machines will be in place,” Dr Mombeshora said.
The Minister noted that they are now in the second phase of procuring equipment for provincial hospitals, which includes CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRI scans, with the requisite tenders expected to be ready in two months.
Meanwhile, Dr Mombeshora also informed the House that his Ministry has procured eight mobile vans, which will be deployed to the provinces for free medical examinations, including early diagnosis of various cancers, such as prostate and cervical cancer.
“I am confident that clearance will be completed next week. We have already sent a team to retrieve them from Mozambique. These vans will test both men and women, starting with prostate cancer.
“Cervical cancer predominantly affects women, so we have vehicles that will be testing both genders. It will no longer be just women.
“We are improving bit by bit. We aim to reach a point where everyone can be tested for free,” Dr Mombeshora said.
