President opens renal institute

Central Hospital and pledged to establish a national policy on renal failure so that, like other chronic conditions, it is treated at no cost.
The institute is the first of its kind in Zimbabwe.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said the establishment of the renal unit faced many challenges emanating from illegal Western sanctions on the country.
“As a project of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, the road to the establishment of the renal unit must have obviously been littered with a multiplicity of challenges.
“I can only refer to some such challenges that, as we all know, stemmed from the imposition of illegal sanctions,” he said.
The President said facilities at public hospitals were dilapidated, forcing some doctors to leave Zimbabwe out of frustration.
“Renal patients suffered even more acute problems. Renal equipment having always been scarce and expensive, sanctions therefore exacerbated the problem.
“Renal patients found themselves having to travel to South Africa to receive treatment since our meagre dialysis services had practically collapsed,” President Mugabe said.
He expressed pleasure that many Chitungwiza Central Hospital employees had signed the National Anti-Sanctions Petition.
President Mugabe applauded Chitungwiza Central Hospital chief executive officer Dr Obadiah Moyo and his team for defying the sanctions.
“Cognisant of the effect of sanctions on our patients, Chitungwiza Central Hospital became proactive and set up a renal unit to treat patients.
“This is a new paradigm shift as we vigorously fight these illegal sanctions and hence Chitungwiza Central Hospital should be applauded for its initiative.”
The cost of dialysis in Government hospitals ranges between US$100 and US$120 per session.
Patients require three sessions a week.
“This roughly works out to US$1 200 per month, which is quite exorbitant for the ordinary Zimbabwean.
“We would therefore like to work out a system with the Ministry of Finance whereby renal patients will merely be charged an administrative fee with the hospitals being reimbursed through a scheme similar to the Social Dimension Fund and in this way hospitals will be able to replenish the requisite dialysis disposables,” President Mugabe said.
President Mugabe, who is Patron of the Zimbabwe Kidney Foundation, said renal failure should be categorised like other chronic diseases.
“I would like to see the establishment of a national policy which stipulates that renal failure be categorised and treated as other chronic diseases as HIV and its treatment being therefore provided at no cost to the patient.
He said treatment of renal failure required trained and skilled personnel and applauded Chitungwiza Central Hospital for establishing the Sally Mugabe Renal Training Institute.
“I am gratified to hear that the Sally Mugabe Renal Training Institute will this year commence a comprehensive training programme starting with 20 trainee renal practitioners.
“This will be an on-going programme until full staffing levels are achieved,” he said.
President Mugabe said no renal unit would function optimally without a laboratory. Chitungwiza Central Hospital received state-of-the-art chemistry analysers from China to carry out diagnostic tests.
President Mugabe hailed relations between China and Zimbabwe that has seen Chinese doctors conducting 515 free cataract operations this past week.
He said he was also happy that the hospital revamped its dental unit and installed new user friendly equipment.
The Chitungwiza Renal Unit presently treats 16 patients daily and Dr Moyo yesterday said plans were underway to expand capacity.
“We have also a sponsor willing to assist in the construction of a renal clinic,” he said.
Dr Moyo said there was need to establish a kidney transplant unit at the hospital.
Patients from as far as Bulawayo and Gweru receive dialysis treatment at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.
Among those who received treatment yesterday was MDC-T security advisor Mr Emmanuel Chimwanda.
Senior Government officials, service chiefs and Miss Universe Lisa Morgan – who wants to become a renal ambassador – were among delegates who witnessed the opening of the Sally Mugabe Renal Institute.
The institute is named after late First Lady and national heroine Amai Sally Mugabe who succumbed to kidney failure in 1992.