Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu, [email protected]
A long-delayed doctors’ accommodation project at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo has received a US$1,7 million funding commitment from Prevail International Group, raising prospects of completing a four-storey block that has been under construction since the 1990s.
The accommodation block will house 16 doctors and their families within the hospital premises, enabling medical personnel to respond more quickly to emergencies while improving their living conditions.
Prevail International Group chairman and Presidential Advisor Dr Paul Tungwarara made the commitment after touring Block C at Mpilo Central Hospital, where renovations are being undertaken under the Presidential Hospital Renovation Programme.
He directed his team to complete the ongoing works at the hospital within three months.
Mpilo Central Hospital chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said the doctors’ accommodation project had stalled because of funding challenges, with construction reaching three of the four planned floors.
“The structure was started at ground level over 20 years ago. Then the Second Republic pushed it, but now we are stuck on three floors of the building out of four that are required due to lack of funding since 2022,” he said.
Prof Ngwenya welcomed the private sector intervention, saying the project would help address the challenges faced by health personnel at the hospital.
“We are very pleased because this project has taken over 20 years to complete and Prevail has come with a philanthropic gesture to lend a hand and help the Government in achieving its goals,” he said.
The funding commitment comes as Mpilo Central Hospital undergoes extensive modernisation under the Presidential Hospital Renovation Programme, which also covers Parirenyatwa Group of
Hospitals and Sally Mugabe Hospital.
Special Advisor to the President on Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes and Projects Dr Joram Gumbo, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work being undertaken at Mpilo, describing the renovations as necessary to modernise the ageing hospital infrastructure.
“Mpilo is an old hospital with very old buildings and the renovations that are taking place here have been necessitated by that history, to modernise and renovate some of the old structures, which is commendable,” he said.
Dr Gumbo commended Prevail International Group for complementing the Government’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
“Take Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare and what you see here, you can see that these two hospitals, including Sally Mugabe Hospital, there is a big change in the modernisation, equipment and the way a modern hospital must look like,” he said.
“It is really something I am proud of. The mantra of His Excellency is that a healthy nation is a nation that can prosper in development. With this kind of development here, I am pleased to say we can go very far.”
Dr Gumbo said work on the hospital modernisation project was about 65 percent complete, adding that some incomplete structures that had remained unattended for extended periods were also being considered for intervention.
The renovation works include the installation of new ceilings to accommodate the hospital’s air-conditioning system, while tiling has been completed in most areas. Epoxy flooring is also set to be installed to help reduce contamination in the hospital environment.
Prof Ngwenya said the modernised facilities would create a more conducive environment for patient care and recovery.
“We are pleased that there are massive developments taking place at Mpilo. Once completed, patients are going to be taken care of in an environment that has been modernised and will help in terms of recovery,” he said.
“We are grateful to the Government and the Special Advisor for visiting today. It shows that the Second Republic puts the development agenda at the heart of its functions.”
The entourage also toured the Radiation Therapy Centre, where two cancer treatment machines procured through the sugar tax are being installed.
The officials expressed satisfaction with progress at the centre as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cancer treatment infrastructure at Mpilo Central Hospital.
