Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu, Health and Gender Editor
FOR years, Mpilo Central Hospital has been a lifeline for thousands of patients from Bulawayo and beyond, providing critical care to communities across the region.
Now, a sweeping modernisation programme being spearheaded under the Second Republic is giving the institution a new face and, more importantly, a renewed capacity to deliver healthcare with greater dignity, comfort and efficiency.
The ongoing modernisation of public health institutions such as Mpilo Central Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is set to offer world-class treatment, boost workforce morale and help retain professionals and specialists at the hospitals, development analysts have said.
Under the Residential Hospital Renovation Programme, major referral hospitals are undergoing massive refurbishments as President Mnangagwa’s administration moves to ensure that there is no place that is left behind in developmental issues in Zimbabwe.
At Mpilo, the transformation is already visible.
A visit to Block C this week revealed that major works had been completed, with soft finishes now being carried out inside wards that will accommodate more than 160 patients when complete.
For patients, the changes will mean more than a refurbished building. They will provide a safer, more comfortable and dignified environment in which to receive treatment.
The block is being fitted with modern facilities, including a renovated kitchen that is awaiting industrial cooking pots and other equipment, a dedicated nurse’s station and modern toilet facilities for patients and visitors.
The floors have been tiled with heavy-duty, non-slip flooring consistent with hospital standards, while windows are being fitted with security bars to enhance safety.
Individual air-conditioning systems will also be installed, allowing patients to adjust temperatures to suit their needs, a seemingly simple improvement that can make a significant difference to comfort and recovery, particularly for those spending extended periods in hospital. For health workers, the upgraded environment is equally significant, offering modern working spaces that can boost morale and create conditions more conducive to providing quality care.
The ongoing transformation at Mpilo is emerging as a reset of standards for public healthcare infrastructure, demonstrating how investment in hospitals can directly improve the experience of both patients and those entrusted with caring for them, Mpilo chief executive officer, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, has said.
He told Zimpapers that he was impressed by the scale and quality of the ongoing works, commending the Second Republic for the development.
“I am very impressed, this is the first time I have seen massive, massive developments happening here in the hospital. The Second Republic is really serious and you can see there is ongoing work, there are no stoppages (in works) and at a massive scale and the quality of work is really up to world standards,” said Prof Ngwenya.
“The hospital is being modernised, as they say, it’s going to be modernised to world-class standards.
We’re very grateful to His Excellency, President Mnangagwa for being touched by visiting one of our hospitals before he launched this project.”
The developments at Mpilo come as the Government intensifies efforts to modernise public health infrastructure, with the upgraded facilities expected to strengthen the country’s referral system while making major hospitals more attractive to healthcare professionals and specialists.
For the communities that depend on Mpilo, however, the real measure of the project will ultimately be felt not in the bricks, tiles and new equipment, but in the quality of care, comfort and dignity experienced by the next patient who walks through its doors.
Prof Ngwenya said the staff and community are grateful for the work that is being undertaken as this has a positive impact on the community as a whole.
“It uplifts them to very high levels, and it also forces them (workers) to perform well because of the world-class standards that they are going to be working in. They are expected to perform well and patients, when they come to a hospital that is modernised with welcoming staff, will feel safer, and
it will help in their recovery,” he added.
Furthermore, the modernisation initiative will also see hospital staff being retained as they will be working in clean, modern spaces with adequate equipment.
“We’re receiving consignments of materials continuously; as you saw, there are lots of doors, windows, tiles and other fixtures that are coming in for the repair of our structures here.
“It also shows that the people who are doing the work are really committed, and whatever money they get, this money is channelled to ensure the right materials are bought, so that the project is not stalled, and that the project is going on very well,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said the quality of material being used is of a high standard, durable and will last for over 50 years plus.
Mr Phineas Sithole, the acting director of operations, also weighed in on the developments at Block C, saying the progress was commendable.
“When we talk of the C-block, the Presidential renovations are mostly concentrating on the internals, where they are fitting the doors, the glasses and all the pipes, the waterworks and we are quite happy,” he said.
“I think for those laying out the doors and everything, I think by the end of the month, the doors will be fitted in, then they move on to the other wards, because they have got four wards, which will undergo the same process of fitting in the doors and the glasses at this stage,” said Mr Sithole.
He said after the completion of fitting other accessories, workers will move to painting the inside of the block and putting the finishing touches, and checking whether the fitted equipment is functioning well.
“So, we will be working together, seeing what they have done. Is it working well with us? Wherever there are some gaps, they are filling the gaps according to what we will have recommended,” he said.
“As you have seen, the kitchen, they have really modernised it. What is left are the inputs, like the pots and the final touches, like painting and everything. Otherwise, the general works and modernisation of the kitchen are done, and it’s complete.”
The hospital is also getting a new public toilet that will be completed by the beginning of October, as work is also being done in that area.
Renovations at the hospital are in a phased approach with Prevail Group, the contractor expected to move to other sections of the hospital once Block C is complete.
This comes as President Mnangagwa has directed the Ministry of Health and Child Care to remove all bureaucratic obstacles that are being seen in the procurement and importation of medical equipment that is meant to upgrade medical facilities in the country. He said there should be no cartels and gatekeepers in this process as the country is making efforts to ensure universal access to health care.
