Government pushes for year-end completion of Lupane Hospital Lupane Provincial Hospital’s outpatients department

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
Government is pushing for the completion of Lupane Provincial Hospital —the first ever referral health institution in Matabeleland North Province — by the end of next year.

The hospital remains among the Second Republic’s top priorities and tremendous progress continues to be reported.

It is among the visible developments that Government has undertaken to upgrade previously marginalised areas, under the philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind as the country gallops towards the achievement of an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

Upon completion, there will be training of health specialists at the hospital, a process which will result in the availability of top-notch health services locally.

Matabeleland North Province was using St Luke’s Hospital as the provincial hospital and at times patients were being referred to Bulawayo for medical services.

For 2023, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube allocated $33 billion for construction of hospitals, saying Lupane is one of the projects that should be completed within the financial year.

“Government is committed to the provision of quality health services, as evidenced by the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of health facilities. Some of the notable projects are the Lupane Provincial Hospital, health posts in Mutasa, Mashayamvura, four in Gokwe North; and three in Centenary District, 30 poly-clinics and five district hospitals under the NMS1 project, among others,” said Prof  Ncube.

“In this regard, the 2023 Budget makes a provision of ZW$33 billion towards the rehabilitation and construction of hospitals and clinics.”

Professor Mthuli Ncube

The latest weekly report shows that the hospital’s central stores is now 70 percent complete, pharmacy is at 65 percent and the casualty department is 70 percent complete.
Progress at the out-patients department (OPD) is at 67 percent while the administration building is at 65 percent.

Lupane Provincial Hospital will also have a staff residence, which is 70 percent complete, while the eye and dental clinic is at 15 percent as brickwork for the sub-super structure is at window level.

“The Paediatric ward is at 52 percent: brick work is at deck level and workers are now working on shuttering and steel fixing for the first-floor deck with concrete pouring at 75 percent. The surgical ward remains at 31 percent and brickwork that has started on the superstructure is now at window level,” read the report.

“The building for maternity admissions is at 32 percent and theatre stands at 17,5 percent as building is at ring beam level with column raised to beam level. Currently, workers are fixing window frames and raising division walls.”

The report says the kitchen is 39 percent complete, substation 60 percent, while the waiting shed is only at 16 percent.

“The labour ward is 23 percent complete with the super sub-structure at 100 percent and now filling rubble and compacting 100 percent. The antenatal care unit is 30 percent complete and work is progressing well.”

Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo said the prioritisation of the project is a dream come true for the province.

He commended the commitment of Government in uplifting the standard of living in the province.

“We are more than happy to see progress at our hospital which has taken so many years before the Second Republic chipped in. The progress is commendable and now that the project was mentioned as a priority during the budget, I know that indeed it will be completed together with other projects in Lupane,” said Minister Moyo.

Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Richard Moyo

In an interview recently, Ministry of Health and Child Care spokesperson, Mr Donald Mujiri said the construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital was part of the Second Republic’s ambitious project to revolutionise the health services sector in the country.

“Zimbabwe healthcare is provided through primary, secondary, tertiary care and quinary hospitals (super-specialist hospitals that offer the highest specialised health care), to cover all disciplines. Since 2018, the Ministry of Health and Child Care made significant achievements in the development of health infrastructure ranging from the construction of new health facilities to rehabilitation/refurbishment of existing infrastructure.

“A total of 47 health facilities were constructed and completed, 94 projects were under renovation/ rehabilitation to completion, a total of 1 074 health facilities were solarized, and 201 health facilities benefit from the borehole water project.

“The construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital has progressed significantly on the central stores, pharmacy, casualty, outpatient department, administration block, junior staff house, maternity block, surgical ward, paediatric ward, dental clinic, eye clinic, kitchen substation, and antenatal and post-natal section,” he said.
@thamamoe

You Might Also Like

Comments