Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba-Midlands Bureau
GWERU Provincial Hospital has achieved a historic milestone by successfully performing a complex neurosurgical procedure to remove a steel nail from a patient’s skull.
The 75-year-old patient, Mr Leviticus Chaurura, was admitted on October 18 with a penetrating head injury caused by a steel nail and underwent the delicate operation on October 21.
He was discharged on October 28 in good spirits, thanks to the expertise of the hospital’s medical team.
The hospital is on a mission to transform its neurosurgical department into a cutting-edge facility.
The deployment of a resident neurosurgeon, Dr Lawrence Hlatshwayo, alongside anaesthesiologist Dr Precious Chiputa, has been a game-changer, enabling GPH to perform complex surgeries that were previously referred to Bulawayo or Harare.
GPH superintendent, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, confirmed the development.
“There is a patient, Mr Leviticus Chaurura (75), who was admitted on October 18. The diagnosis was penetrating head injury caused by a steel nail. The extraction of the nail by a team of surgeons was done on October 21,” he said.
Dr Mashingaidze said Mr Chaurura is recuperating well at home.
Head of Surgery at GPH, Dr Brian Paketh, expressed optimism about the hospital’s new capabilities.
“The arrival of a resident neurosurgeon will bring much-needed relief to people across the Midlands Province,” he said.
Dr Paketh described Mr Chaurura’s successful surgery as a beacon of hope for the community, demonstrating that specialised medical care is now accessible closer to home.
“The hospital’s growing expertise in complex surgeries is a significant step towards improving healthcare outcomes in the region,” he said.
In an interview, Mr Chaurura’s daughter, Mrs Sofia Masunda, commended the surgeons for their work.
“He is recuperating well at his rural home in Gutu. He is eating well and is in high spirits. We are very grateful as a family to the surgeons at GPH who performed the operation,” she said.
Mrs Masunda, however, declined to reveal how the steel nail ended up lodged in her father’s skull.
The hospital’s progress has been supported by the First Lay, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and her Angel of Hope Foundation, which provided essential equipment and resources to enable such intricate operations.
“This was made possible because GPH now has a neurosurgeon. We are thrilled with the progress made by our hospital,” said Dr Mashingaidze.
“We also have support from the Government and the First Lady. We are committed to continuing to provide quality care to our patients.”
He revealed plans to construct a double-storey building to house a state-of-the-art neurosurgical department.
“Plans are already in place to expand the department, incorporating additional theatres and space, enabling GPH to perform more surgeries in-house rather than referring them elsewhere as has been the practice historically. We are currently awaiting funding from Central Government to proceed,” he said.
The neurosurgical department at GPH now boasts a fully equipped theatre, a recovery room, and an on-site anaesthesiologist to support critical operations, with ample space for future upgrades.
This upgrade has brought hope to approximately 1.6 million people in the Midlands Province, who can now access life-saving treatment without the need for long-distance transfers.
