Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube and Sallomy Matare, Chronicle Reporters

THE First Lady, Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, is mobilising resources to rebuild St Luke’s Hospital in Matabeleland North province which was gutted by fire last week.

The Roman Catholic mission hospital, situated at Kenmaur in Lupane District, is the only referral hospital in Matabeleland North.

The inferno brought hospital operations to a halt as US$250 000 worth of property comprising equipment, medicines and records were reduced to ashes.

However, Angel of Hope Foundation, in partnership with Matter Foundation of the United States of America and Love for Africa from Victoria Falls, have so far mobilised US$250 000 to go towards re-equipping the hospital after construction has been done, the foundation’s board chair, Mrs Chipo Mutasa said.

She was speaking during the handover of an innovation hub initiated by the three organisations at Victoria Falls Primary School on Wednesday.

“Angel of Hope Foundation has always worked at health centres to assist mostly on cancer, nutrition and equipment mobilisation projects.

After the sad tragedy that struck St Luke’s, Angel of Hope Foundation reached out to partners and Matter Foundation has come in to bring medical equipment worth US$250 000,” said Mrs Mutasa.

She said efforts are underway to identify other partners to help rebuild the hospital.

The foundation does humanitarian projects countrywide.

Mrs Mutasa said Angel of Hope Foundation came up with a three-year framework targeting a number of hospitals in the country in every province to cater for their needs.

After initiating a nutrition garden which the First Lady commissioned at Victoria Falls Hospital on Tuesday, her foundation has set its sights on United Bulawayo Hospitals and Parirenyatwa as the next port of call for starting a similar project.

Love for Africa director, Mr Blessing Munyenyiwa said he alerted Matter Foundation about the St Luke’s inferno and proposed that something had to be done.

The Foundation’s president, Mr Quenton Marty, said they are happy with the partnership that they have with Zimbabwe.

“Matter doesn’t work in construction projects but we work with partners.

We are excited about the partnership we have in Zimbabwe and we intend to assist St Luke’s Hospital which was destroyed by fire.

We will bring US$250 000 worth of medical equipment once construction is completed to get the hospital functioning again,” he said.

Matter Foundation works in 50 countries around the world. — @ncubeleon