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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Reporter

AN Indian investor, Sharda Group of Institutions (SGI), which is working on the re-opening of Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo, has said it is waiting for Government to come up with an agreement waiving registration of medical doctors from India for them to work in Zimbabwe.

In March, the investor, which was identified by Government to re-open the state of the art hospital, announced having started recruiting staff in preparation for its re-opening.

Speaking from India yesterday, SGI chief operating officer Dr Raja Dutta said the ball is now in Government’s court. “They (Ministry of Health and Child Care) have to revert with an agreement on vital clause and waiver of medical registration process for Indian doctors,” he said. “We will come to sign when the agreement is agreed on mutual terms.”

Dr Dutta said the exact date for the re-opening of hospital was dependent on the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo yesterday said he would not be drawn to comment on the matter as he was in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ekusileni Medical Centre, which was built at the behest of late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo, was shut down in 2001 and several efforts to re-open it have been made but to no avail. 

The hospital was closed after it was discovered that equipment worth millions of dollars acquired by the Zimbabwean Health Care Trust (ZHCT) which was supposed to run the hospital, was obsolete.

Last year, SGI president and chairman Mr Ashok Daryani and Mr Pradeep Kumar Gupta, accompanied by their technical team, toured the hospital and expressed satisfaction with the infrastructure, saying it was well maintained. 

They, however, said there were some minor structural changes and additional structures needed at the hospital to suit the group’s expectations. 

Last year, President Mnangagwa toured the hospital and said Government was committed to its re-opening. – @okazunga