Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
THE operationalisation of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Ekusileni Hospital as a specialist quinary teaching hospital has officially begun with the first phase expected to be fully functional by 1 July 2025.
The development follows the signing of a lease agreement on Friday between the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) and the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
The agreement will enable the hospital to provide specialist services in gynaecology, neonatology, paediatrics and maternity care.
The lease signing ceremony, held at the hospital in Bulawayo was attended by senior Government officials from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development along with Mr Paul Nyoni — the Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province.
Ekusileni Hospital, conceived by the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, was built between 2000 and 2005 and is entirely owned by Nssa. The facility houses essential components including a pharmacy, administration offices, a boardroom, a kitchen, a physiotherapy unit, a pathology laboratory and a paediatrics department.
In total, the hospital comprises four wards with a capacity of four beds each, two intensive care units (ICUs) with eight beds combined, a laundry room, six operating theatres and an X-ray laboratory—all designed to enhance patient care and support medical excellence.
Since its establishment, the hospital has largely remained vacant. However, in 2020, it was temporarily repurposed to aid in the fight against Covid-19.
To further enhance its utility post-pandemic, the Zimbabwean Government approved a programme aimed at utilising the hospital to benefit Nssa pensioners and the broader community.
The initiative will involve transforming the facility into a state-of-the-art specialist teaching and research hospital, thereby revolutionising the country’s healthcare system.
In an interview with Sunday News during the lease signing ceremony, Nust’s Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor Elopy Sibanda, explained that the operationalisation of the hospital will be in phases, commencing with obstetrics, gynaecology and maternal child health.
“We expect this to address the burdens within the community, where many patients are forced to deliver in floor beds due to inadequate capacity. Our equipment is expected to arrive in May, and we aim to commence operations by June,” said Prof Sibanda.
He added, “One of the significant services we plan to introduce is open-heart surgery, primarily for children, a procedure that is currently not available in the country.
“This is crucial for underprivileged children who struggle to access such services. We hope to launch this service by September of this year.”
During the signing ceremony, Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, represented by Director of Higher Education Programmes Dr Dennis Murekachiro stressed that the operationalisation of the JMN Ekusileni Hospital is a top Government priority for 2025.
He urged Nust to ensure that at least phase one of the hospital’s operationalisation is fully functional by 1 July 2025, coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the late Vice-President Nkomo’s death.
“We are pleased to report that Nust has procured state-of-the-art machinery for phase one operationalisation. We anticipate that by the end of June 2025, the equipment will be set up and ready to provide specialist services in gynaecology, neonatology, paediatrics and maternity care,” he noted.
Prof Tagwira affirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting efforts that will transform JMN Ekusileni Hospital into a specialist teaching and research facility, offering medical services that many currently seek abroad in countries such as India and China.
He emphasised that the hospital will become a focal point for medical tourism, delivering essential specialist services to locals at affordable prices, while also generating the much-needed foreign currency for the nation.
Dr Charles Shava, Acting General Manager of Nssa, reiterated that the operationalisation of the hospital reflects their commitment to creating value for both their members and the wider community.
“This facility will be established as a specialist teaching hospital. Nssa is proud to play a significant role in this initiative by providing the hospital and property as a vital part of the required infrastructure, under a long-term commercial lease agreement with Nust.
Our organisation is dedicated to supporting Government initiatives that foster impactful growth and development,” he said.
Quinary hospitals, as envisioned within the framework of Education 5.0, are designed to foster innovation and create a modern environment conducive to clinical research.
They aim to ensure that Zimbabweans have access to the highest standards of healthcare, reducing reliance on outbound health tourism, which currently limits accessibility for many patients in need of improved health outcomes.
Sidumisile Mabena