Zimpapers Logo

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has said the opening of the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) Covid-19 Treatment and Isolation Centre and the Bulawayo Orthopaedic Hospital is a bold step towards transforming the country’s public healthcare system in line with Vision 2030.

President Mnangagwa yesterday commissioned the country’s first free orthopaedic hospital, the Bulawayo Orthopedic Hospital and the Covid-19 designated treatment and isolation centre at the UBH.

Government refurbished the Old Bartley’s Memorial Block at UBH to set up the Covid-19 isolation centre with a 50-bed capacity which started admitting Covid-19 patients in December last year. Upon its opening, the centre admitted 16 patients. It will at any given time admit 100 patients referred from hospitals in Matabeleland region.

The Bulawayo Orthopedic Hospital which specialises in the treatment and care of children with physical disabilities, opened its doors in January and was fully licensed to operate in February. The $5 million hospital was built and refurbished by the Zimbabwe Orthopaedic Trust (ZOT) in partnership with the Government and comprises four buildings, housing 45 beds.

Speaking shortly before the commissioning of the two health institutions by the President, VP Chiwenga, who is also Health and Child Care Minister, said the public-private partnerships that exist between his ministry and other key players are beginning to bear fruits.

“The achievement is historic and set to transform the face of public health particularly in this province. It is also going to transform the health system in Zimbabwe and we are almost there towards attaining Vision 2030 much sooner than expected and we shall do that with all health facilities,” he said.

“This momentous occasion bears ample testimony of the low hanging fruits of public-private partnerships that exist between the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Zimbabwe Orthopedic Trust including other players.”

VP Chiwenga said the area of public health is one of the key deliverables of the health sector.

“There has been quite a number of initiatives in place to prevent or mitigate the escalation of dangers to human health. Government under the leadership of President Mnangagwa dedicated US$100 million for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines,” he said.

VP Chiwenga said President Mnangagwa’s passionate wish is to have all citizens protected from the scourge of Covid-19.

“In the same vein, he enacted the committee on food security and nutrition to promote the eradication of hunger in the country and he had children in mind. The children, if they are to grow as they are the future of the country, must be well fed and therefore their food must be nutritious,” he said.

VP Chiwenga said the initiative will also see the resuscitation of irrigation schemes and establishment of new ones to ensure food security.

“We all know and attest to the adage that health is wealth. Indeed, the emphasis of the President is that we don’t want people to suffer from malnutrition in this era of the Second Republic. Pursuant to his desire to enhance socio-economic livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe, the President espoused his strategic vision to attain an upper middle-income economy by 2030,” he said.

“He has continued to vigorously advocate for the removal of the retrogressive economic sanctions in order to enhance sector wide productive capacity.”

The Vice-President said despite the adverse effects of the sanctions, President Mnangagwa’s motto is anchored on the need for production so that Zimbabwe regains its status as the ‘Jewel of Africa’ and improve the health of its citizens.

“In order to achieve human security, President Mnangagwa enacted an enhanced Cabinet committee on emergency preparedness and disaster management, which deals with potential disasters that may threaten our communities with the view to mitigate their effects,” he said.

“Noteworthy is the attention given to the social issues that have health implications such as illegal settlements in areas without basic services like reticulated sewer and clean water. The illegal settlements become time bombs that manifest through infectious diseases such as typhoid and cholera.”

The committee also streamlines the national wetlands plan in a bid to ensure citizens build their homes and other infrastructure on sites that do not cause grave danger to their lives.

Those initiatives, said VP Chiwenga, save to protect people against potential dangers to their health.

He said Government through the road rehabilitation programme, will avert road traffic accidents that may be fatal or cause injuries.

“The evacuation of casualties requires well serviced roads to minimise delays and enhance accessibility in every part of the country. Having pointed out some of the interventions that promote public health, you will agree with me that the Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa has scored some notable milestones in that regard,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said notwithstanding his revolutionary background, President Mnangagwa is a well accomplished leader and Statesman par excellence.

“He is a listening President, a servant of the people who has inspired macro level developmental policies in the Second Republic. His policy of engagement and re-engagement has resulted in the remarkable improvement of relations with other States as well as regional, continental and global organisations,” he said.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube said the UBH Covid-19 Treatment and Isolation Centre and the Bulawayo Orthopedic Hospital are critical in the transformation of the metropolitan province’s health sector, particularly in the wake of Covid-19.

“I would like to applaud Government for its efforts by taking early action to combat and mitigate the spread of Covid-19 through the establishment of the UBH Treatment and Isolation Centre. The hospital has a positive impact in terms of fighting and curbing the spread of Covd-19. Health and wellbeing are a key pillar in the NDS 1 (2021-2025) and investing in health is important as we move towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” she said.

Minister Ncube said the ZOT efforts resonate well with Government determination to ensure access to quality and affordable healthcare.

The children’s hospital’s executive director Mr Jonathan Simpson said children living with disabilities are at great risk due to their vulnerability to be exploited as they often face significant emotional and physical abuse.

He said the aim of the agreement between ZOT and the UBH is to provide a realistic and transferable model for public and private service providers to work together to improve medical facilities and services as well as providing outstanding health care for citizens.

Mr Simpson said at full capacity the hospital hopes to do over 2 000 procedures a year.

He said they already have solid plans to build another 40-bed ward, a multipurpose training facility and laboratory and upgrading support services such as laundry and storage. — @mashnets