Neurosurgery, renal unit introduced at Gweru Provincial Hospital

Specialist surgeons perform an operation at Gweru Provincial Hospital

GWERU Provincial Hospital (GPH) is undergoing major upgrades, including the introduction of specialised services such as neurosurgery, a fully-fledged renal unit and an intensive care unit.

The developments are expected to reduce the need for patients to travel to Harare or Bulawayo for advanced care, while positioning GPH as a key high level referral centre for Midlands Province. The initiative aligns with the Second Republic’s objective of decentralising specialised health services across the country.

Government has expressed satisfaction with progress made under the ongoing modernisation of major hospitals nationwide being implemented through the Presidential Hospital Renovation Programme.

The programme forms part of broader health sector reforms aimed at upgrading infrastructure, improving service delivery and equipping referral hospitals to meet increasing demand.

Momentum for the initiative was strengthened when President Mnangagwa witnessed the signing of health co operation agreements in Belarus, including an agreement to upgrade major hospitals across the country in line with Vision 2030.

For many years, institutions such as GPH have faced mounting pressure due to ageing infrastructure, obsolete equipment and rising patient numbers. The hospital has now expanded its specialist service offering, a development that has already resulted in a reduction in referrals to Harare and Bulawayo for advanced medical care.

As the Government’s decentralisation programme continues, specialised healthcare services are becoming increasingly accessible across public hospitals, bringing advanced treatment closer to communities.

A patient at GPH, Mr Anderson Nyoni, confirmed that specialist treatment is now being provided at the facility without the need for transfers to major referral hospitals.

“I started feeling pain in my stomach and began vomiting green fluid. That is when I was rushed to this hospital. I had two operations done, and I was in a coma. Doctors also found water in my chest, and I had another procedure done,” he said.

Mr Nyoni said all the procedures were performed by specialists at GPH.
“All these were done without me being transferred to either Harare or Bulawayo, and for that I am grateful,” he said.
Another patient also expressed appreciation for the quality of care received at the hospital.

“I was transferred from Shurugwi to Gweru Hospital where I was diagnosed with a hernia. I had an operation and they inserted a colostomy bag. I later returned for another operation to remove the bag and reconnect the intestines so that they function normally without the colostomy bag. I am really grateful to the specialist doctors because I am now on the road to recovery,” the patient said.

Gweru Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Fabian Mashingaidze said the facility is expanding its specialist complement to ensure communities access quality healthcare closer to home.

“Gweru Provincial Hospital is a tertiary specialist hospital in the Midlands and serves as the referral centre for the entire province, which covers eight district hospitals. Our thrust as a hospital is to expand specialist services so that our people can access them closer to home,” he said.

Dr Mashingaidze said GPH has, in recent months, expanded its specialist offerings to include neurosurgical services.
“We now have a neurosurgeon who has successfully carried out complex procedures. You may have seen a case of a gentleman who had a six inch nail hammered into his head, which was successfully removed by our neurosurgeon,” he said.

He said the hospital takes pride in introducing specialist services locally, eliminating the need for patients to seek care outside the province.

Dr Mashingaidze noted that other specialist services available at GPH include general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, anaesthesia and ophthalmology, among others.

“We are also training specialists locally under accreditation from regional bodies. Some of our orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons and anaesthetists qualified for these roles in December last year, which we are very proud of because it means we are increasing capacity for specialist services,” he said.

Ministry of Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini said the expansion of advanced medical services beyond major cities is strengthening the national health system, improving patient outcomes and advancing the country’s vision of accessible and quality healthcare for all.