Chronicle EditorWalter Mswazie Southern Correspondent
Mimosa Mining Company has availed $45 000 to Masvingo General Hospital for the refurbishment of a surgical theatre, as part of its contribution to the health sector in the southern region of the country, an official has said. Speaking on the sidelines of a graduation ceremony of 69 nurses at Masvingo School of Nursing and Midwifery, the guest of honour, Mimosa Mining Company executive chairman Mr Winston Chitando, said the Midlands platinum giant offered to provide all the materials for the refurbishment of the hospital’s theatre section.
Among the graduates were 38 State registered nurses, while 31 were midwives.
“Masvingo General Hospital offers critical health services to the province and beyond, that it has to have good facilities,” he said.
“It is against this background that Mimosa Mining Company has decided to chip in with materials and pay for labour for the refurbishment of the hospital’s theatre.
“The cost of the refurbishments amounts to $45 000, including labour and we have offered to do that as soon as possible.”
Mr Chitando said assisting health centres throughout the country was part of the company’s social mandate which they had done almost every year since the entity’s inception.
“We have also donated 120 blankets to be given to patients,” he said.
“We are spending not less than $3 million per year on health and education as a company.
“We have helped in building classroom blocks and clinics in the southern region. We have also done something at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo, Harare Hospital and now we are at Masvingo General Hospital.”
Masvingo General Hospital matron Ms Norma Mpande said the institution faced challenges ranging from material to human resources.
She said the hospital was operating with only 11 Government medical officers, one specialist obstetrician, one gynaecologist and one surgeon.
Ms Mpande said the hospital was still lobbying for the creation of new posts of relief matron, night superintendent and matron for maternity department, to intensify supervision.
She hailed Government for providing a CT scan and dialysis machines to enable some services to be provided locally.
Before the acquisition of the critical machines, patients used to travel to Harare or Bulawayo to get renal services.
“Masvingo General Hospital needs more specialists in surgery, paediatrics, anaesthesia and orthopaedics,” said Ms Mpande.
“We, however, thank Government for releasing 2 000 nurses nationally, enabling Masvingo Hospital to get 20 more nurses. We now have a compliment of 208 from 188 nurses.”
Masvingo General Hospital is the provincial referral health centre for seven districts in the province namely Bikita, Chivi, Masvingo, Mwenezi, Chiredzi, Gutu and Zaka .
It is a 279-bed health centre which offers medical, surgical, maternity and paediatric services.
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