Online Reporter
George Maponga-Masvingo Bureau
MASVINGO Provincial University Teaching Hospital will enrol its inaugural group of medical students next month, marking a major milestone for the facility and for health services in the country.
The hospital has been undergoing upgrades under a US$40 million project to transform it into a university teaching hospital.
The four phase programme will upgrade the facility into a modern 400 bed referral centre that will host clinical training for students from Great Zimbabwe University’s (GZU) Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences.
About 22 GZU medical students will begin clinical studies at the hospital next month, a boost for health delivery in Masvingo province and beyond as Government works to decentralise specialist services and reduce travel costs for patients from remote areas.
Government began phased upgrading works last year to prepare the institution for student intake. Masvingo Provincial Hospital medical superintendent Dr Noel Zulu confirmed on Tuesday that preparations were complete.
“We are entirely grateful, especially to the First Office (President Mnangagwa’s Office), for the support we have received in terms of allocation of resources to make sure that the first phase of the upgrading exercise is completed,” Dr Zulu said.
“I can safely say that we are ready to accept the first group of medical students from GZU to start their clinical studies.
“We are happy that funds for ongoing works have been disbursed and we are almost done with the phase one of the project that allows us to admit medical students for their studies and we are hopeful that by the end of this year, phase 2 of the upgrading works will be complete to allow the students to continue with their studies.”
Phase one included refurbishment of the outpatient department, administration block and male and female wards, and establishment of a fully equipped High Dependency Unit with 15 beds and an Intensive Care Unit with six beds.
The second phase will deliver new facilities, including a maternity wing and mortuary, expected by year end.
The third phase will focus on capacity building through retooling and installation of advanced medical equipment.
Hospital authorities say some original structures from the 1950s will be preserved and upgraded to honour the institution’s heritage.
“We are happy with the ground that has been covered so far and we are also appealing to our local partners and businesses to also extend a hand to the health institution and assist with low-hanging items such as furniture and other smaller items that are required at an institution of such a magnitude,” added Dr Zulu.
During a visit last year, Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, said the facility would receive special attention to ensure it meets training requirements and preserves the reputation of locally trained medical doctors.
The new university teaching hospital is expected to offer specialist services that will allow patients from remote and low-income backgrounds to access care locally rather than travel to Harare or Bulawayo.
Developments in Masvingo since 2018 have helped set the stage for this upgrade.
In 2018 the province recorded renewed investment interest in agriculture and mining after policy reforms aimed at stimulating local production and formalising small-scale miners.
The subsequent formalisation of artisanal mining in parts of Masvingo created modest revenue flows and prompted local councils to prioritise infrastructure upgrades.
Several rural clinics received basic rehabilitation under decentralised health programmes between 2019 and 2021, improving outpatient access in peripheral districts such as Gutu and Zaka.
In 2019, Great Zimbabwe University expanded its health sciences intake and opened new laboratory facilities to support growing demand for clinical training.
The university’s Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences invested in simulation labs and partnerships with regional hospitals to broaden student exposure.
That expansion laid groundwork for the current arrangement with Masvingo Provincial University Teaching Hospital and contributed to curriculum development that emphasises community health and rural service.
The Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 exposed gaps in provincial health systems, but also accelerated investment and coordination.
Masvingo province received targeted support to strengthen infection prevention and control, oxygen supply and triage systems. Local authorities worked with non-governmental organisations and private partners to set up isolation and treatment wards, which subsequently informed the design of the High Dependency and Intensive Care Units now in place at the teaching hospital.
The pandemic also highlighted the need for decentralised specialist care; patients who previously travelled long distances for critical care increasingly required options closer to home.
Between 2021 and 2023 road rehabilitation projects funded through the Central Government and public-private arrangements improved links between Masvingo town and surrounding growth points.
Better roads have reduced travel times for patients and allowed for more reliable referral systems — an important consideration for a hospital that will accept students and act as a 400-bed referral centre.
Telecommunications improvements in the province have supported telemedicine pilots, enabling specialist consultations between Masvingo clinicians and tertiary centres in Harare and Bulawayo.
