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The $4 million Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo is undergoing rehabilitation before it opens to the public. The hospital meant to provide specialist services, was built in 2000 but remains a white elephant due to a number of challenges. The institution was opened in 2004 but only operated briefly before its closure. The authorities realised after its opening that the equipment worth millions of dollars bought for the institution was obsolete.

Many of the centre’s wings are reportedly falling apart and work to rehabilitate most of these buildings has started. It is estimated that more than $100,000 would be spent on the rehabilitation work which is expected to be completed before the opening of the facility scheduled to take place before the end of the year.

We have said it before that the opening of this important facility has taken too long hence most of the buildings have started decaying. The hospital is the brainchild of the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo who should be turning in his grave as his project seems to be failing to take off the ground.

The construction of the 200-bed hospital was jointly funded by the National Social Security Authority and the Mining Industry Pension Fund. The Zimbabwe Health Care Trust is supposed to run the institution. Government has pledged to push for the opening of the hospital before the end of the year and we hope this time around this target will be met.

The millions of dollars invested in this institution meant to benefit thousands of Zimbabweans seeking specialist medical services outside the country, cannot be allowed to go to waste. It is time that government and the private sector put to good use the state-of-the-art medical facility and in the process save the country a lot of money being spent by people seeking services outside the country.

Recent reports suggest that an investor poured $36 million to equip and provide working capital for the institution and there is therefore no reason why the hospital cannot open before the end of the year. Members of the public whose money was invested in this institution should start enjoying the benefits of their investment.

We have said it before that companies should invest in this institution which guarantees their workers access to specialist medical services. The hospital when fully operational will have 13 departments and has a potential to increase its capacity to 265 beds. This means that the institution will not only cater for locals but even patients from other countries in the region could also benefit.

Many medical aid societies are each year spending thousands of dollars flying members outside the country to seek specialist medical services which are supposed to be provided by this centre which has remained idle for more than 13 years now. We want to implore both the Labour Minister Cde Nicholas Goche and Health Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa to continue pushing for the opening of this hospital before the end of the year. Public funds cannot continue to be spent on maintaining idle buildings.