Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to improving conditions of service in the civil service, including the health sector, saying service disruption affects patients, the economy and the general citizenry.
Speaking during the commissioning of the refurbished Adlam House and trainee nurses’ block at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Government cannot afford to ignore such disruptions and will continually engage and dialogue with the health sector for the realisation of sustainable, progressive and win-win solutions.
The facilities were refurbished under the Presidential Hospital Renovation Programme by Prevail Group of Companies.
President Mnangagwa said the Presidential Hospital Renovation Programme is set to reach every hospital across the country’s districts.
So far, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo are undergoing renovations to match international standards.
“Today’s event and the beautifully refurbished infrastructure before us is another confirmation of the success of our development philosophy, ‘Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo’.
“We are further celebrating unity, hard work and the shared national determination to transform and modernise every sector of the economy, ourselves,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the renovations dovetail with the Second Republic’s Vision 2030 of attaining an upper middle-income society, adding that through such interventions, the nation will have confidence in local skills and innovations.
“Undoubtedly, a nation’s development is inseparable from the general well-being of its people. Under the Second Republic, my Administration is modernising our health system through infrastructure development, human capital development and capacity building, as well as improved service delivery,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the refurbished facilities dovetail with the broader goal under Vision 2030, to build an upper middle-income economy anchored on a healthy, productive and empowered population.
“The transformation we have seen here has been realised under the Whole-of-Society Approach, that is, the public, private sector and general citizenry, working hand-in-hand to build our great motherland, Zimbabwe.
“Sector by sector, we must continue to have confidence in our own skills, systems and innovations.”
President Mnangagwa applauded teams and stakeholders who worked on the project, saying no nation or community develops by depending entirely on others.
“It is also commendable that this exceptional and indeed breath-taking makeover here at Parirenyatwa Hospital was achieved through the use of our own local resources.”
President Mnangagwa reiterated the importance of utilising local resources in building the economy.
He also commended progress being made across the health delivery sector towards the realisation of universal health coverage and access to affordable, quality and specialist health services.
The President said the reduction in maternal mortality reflects strengthened maternal and child health services.
“Life expectancy is also rising, a testament that the interventions deployed by Government alongside other stakeholders are yielding positive results.”
President Mnangagwa said Government is strengthening specialised care and emergency response systems by acquiring and installing modern and digitally-enabled medical equipment across health centres.
He said the broad and proactive shift being championed by Government will ensure patients receive diagnosis and treatment plans in a single visit.
“The pursuit to create a resilient, as well as data and evidence-based national health system that maximises patient outcomes across rural and urban areas, is being accelerated.
“Under this strategy, district and rural health centres, including clinics, are enabled to provide a level of patient care and treatment previously reserved for referral and central hospitals,” he said.
The President revealed that the air ambulance system has scored significant milestones, with more than 2 000 evacuations conducted to date.
President Mnangagwa also expressed satisfaction with progress on the refurbishment of Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital housed at Parirenyatwa.
“The women of our great country, no matter where they live, deserve dignity, safety and comfort as they access quality health services, including prenatal, antenatal, ante-natal and post-natal services, among others.”
The President said human capital remains at the centre of national socio-economic progress, emphasising the importance of training.
“No health system can function without skilled, disciplined and committed professionals,” he said.
“As such, human capital development remains at the centre of our national socio-economic progress”.
President Mnangagwa said Government established the Health Services Commission to oversee the training, retention and motivation of the country’s health workforce.
“Through this initiative, we are building technical competencies on one hand and entrenching discipline, ethics, loyalty and patriotism across the health professionals, on the other.
“Student nurse training and medical education are critical pillars of our health system.
“Nurse trainees, along with doctors and all other health care personnel being trained throughout institutions of higher learning, are the backbone of the health delivery system of tomorrow”.
Government, he said, stands ready to scale up the requisite support to ensure that health professionals have suitable and well-equipped facilities appropriate for their training.
President Mnangagwa expressed gratitude to tutors, consultants and clinical instructors for their role in building a cohort of world-class and highly sought-after health service personnel.
He pledged to continue supporting and complementing their efforts and challenged trainee nurses and other health personnel to rise to the occasion.
“Never look down upon yourselves, your health sector or our country as a whole. All things are possible. Dare to dream; work with zeal to achieve your set goals and transform your future,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Take pride in wholeheartedly providing life-saving health care services to your communities, parents, siblings and relatives. Ngazvikufadzei kurapa nekuraramisa mhuri yeZimbabwe. Always remain mindful that ‘Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo’.”
He said the onus was on every citizen to build and modernise the nation through hard work.
“The improvements and in some cases, complete overhaul of the student accommodation and welfare facilities here at Parirenyatwa is a glimpse of the environment, which I, as your President, desire for you, our young professionals,” President Mnangagwa said.
The establishment of recreational, sports and leisure amenities, including a swimming pool, must be effectively used for the holistic physical and mental well-being of students.
“We want this institution to churn out medical professionals who are both competent and socially balanced.
“May I emphasise that discipline, acting in the national interests and saving lives remain central in our health sector. On its part, my Government is committed to improving conditions of service and addressing the legitimate concerns of our civil servants.
“The impact of service disruption on patients, including ordinary citizens and the economy as a whole, cannot be ignored. My Administration will continually engage and dialogue with the health sector for the realisation of sustainable, progressive and win-win solutions.”
The President stressed the importance of Public-Private Partnerships, saying they enable the country to achieve its intended goals.
He said the success of the Adlam House and nursing home refurbishment project reflected the importance of partnerships.
“The collaboration between my Government, the private sector and development partners showcases what can be achieved when we work together towards a shared goal, with unity of purpose.
“I commend our various partners, including the Angel of Hope Foundation, for strengthening outreach services and improving access to healthcare.
“More partners and players, including our nationals in the Diaspora, are invited and welcome to play their part in the ongoing, irreversible journey of infrastructure modernisation and transformation, in the health sector and social services in general.”
The President urged the nation to remain focused on the quest to build a modern health system characterised by enhanced patient care, quality services and improved working conditions for professionals who must serve all the people.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and other top Government officials.
In his remarks, Prevail Group of Companies chief executive Dr Paul Tungwarara said his company is ready to partner with Government to upgrade health facilities to world‑class standards across the country.
“Your Excellency, we as Prevail Group are ready to partner with your Government to refurbish our hospitals to world-class standards. As you always say, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” he said.
Dr Tungwarara said the refurbishment programme had provided valuable lessons which the company would carry into future engagements.
He said through the company’s foreign investment partners, Prevail Group was ready to deliver world-class facilities across the country.
“With this project, Your Excellency, we have learnt something important along the way. Sometimes the kindest development does not come through money alone. It is about having proper partnerships and structures. That is how other developed countries have managed to achieve world-class facilities — through these structures and partnerships, not just budgets.
“Your Excellency, through our offshore partnership connections, Prevail can assure you that we can provide and deliver world-class hospitals. We are not just talking; we are ready to act. As Prevail Group, we recognise the immense responsibility placed upon us,” he said.
Dr Tungwarara described the completion of the project as “only the beginning”, saying more programmes have been lined up.
“This first phase is a critical milestone, but it is only the beginning. We remain fully committed to working tirelessly with the Government to ensure that the Presidential Hospital Rehabilitation Programme continues to deliver high-quality infrastructure across our healthcare institutions in Zimbabwe.
“We want to thank all the ministries, partnerships and stakeholders for their co-operation. Without them, nothing would have happened. Your Excellency, we are not merely renovating buildings; we are laying the foundation of a healthier, more prosperous Zimbabwe in line with the vision to innovate in the National Development Strategy 2,” he said.
Dr Tungwarara said his company had resurfaced Mazowe Street as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
