Mpilo flats ready for occupation

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter 

MPILO Central Hospital doctors who lost their property after their flats were gutted by a series of fires between 2018 and 2021 are set to return to their quarters within a week after Government completed the refurbishment of the damaged buildings. 

In May 2021, a fire that gutted the doctors’ accommodation facilities left 39 healthcare workers homeless without clothes and national documents.

Following the series of fire incidents, the Government resolved to also have the nurses’ home renovated as it was in a dilapidated state.

The nurses’ home and doctors’ quarters were occupied last month while about 30 families will be able to occupy their residential flats next week. 

The Government resolved to renovate the burnt buildings as part of its efforts to guarantee quality services and welfare for its healthcare workers. 

While the renovations included a lot of brickwork, the Government installed solar lights, water tanks and there is now parking space for doctors.

Besides the renovation of the residences, the Government also injected funds to construct a four-storey block of flats, an idea which was mooted 20 years ago before the advent of the Second Republic.

Part of the projects to improve healthcare services in Matabeleland also include the utilisation of Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Ekusileni Medical Centre as a maternity and paediatric hospital with immediate effect. 

In an interview yesterday after touring the health facilities, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro said he was happy that Government is fulfilling its mandate of providing quality healthcare services. 

“This was a massive project for us as Government since our aim was to make sure that our healthcare workers are comfortable and safe. We invested and we are happy to know that they now have water and the new flats which will accommodate doctors and their families,” he said.

“We, however, converted those flats into bigger rooms and now they will now take up to 35 families. Everything is complete and what is left is for doctors to occupy the major building in a week’s time.”

Dr Mangwiro said their target is to make sure that the four storey H-type flats are completed soon.

He said more flats will be built at Mpilo for healthcare workers as well as Ingutsheni Central Hospital. 

“I was talking to student nurses who are happy and comfortable in their new place which was renovated by members of the army and prisons. They are quite happy and raised concerns over dietary changes and Wi-Fi,” he said.

“I am very happy with what’s going on and we intend to refurbish mortuaries at Mpilo Central Hospital and Harare Central Hospital so that we increase their carrying capacity.”

Dr Mangwiro said Ekusileni Medical Centre will soon start admitting maternity and paediatric patients as a measure to ease pressure on central hospitals. 

He said the hospital which once served as a district Covid-19 centre for Bulawayo will now be accessible to women and children. 

“We will continue to make it a district Government hospital that is going to admit maternity and children’s cases. The theatres and all things needed for the maternity are being prepared as we speak,” said Dr Mangwiro. 

“The pharmacy has medicine and we are happy to announce that even the council will be able to refer their patients to Ekusileni. We now have a lady medical superintendent at Ekusileni who is ready to start and we know all these developments will also make Bulawayo more attractive for more specialists to come and work within the province.” 

Dr Mangwiro said the state-of-the-art Cowdray Park Clinic, which will be opened soon, will ensure that residents have easy access to healthcare services. 

“With Cowdray Park Clinic, we are just waiting for handover from the contractors. Our medical staff is ready to move in,” he said.

Government under the Second Republic remains committed to improving healthcare services through building and revamping facilities to achieve Vision 2030.

More than 47 clinics and hospitals have been built since 2018 under the Second Republic with many more upgraded and repaired.

Quality healthcare services are among the pillars of an upper middle-income economy which the Government is working to achieve by 2030.