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Flora Fadzai Sibanda – [email protected]

DR Robert Nyajena, a compassionate and determined doctor from Bulawayo, is embarking on a noble mission to build a magnificent 24-bed maternity home in the northern suburbs of the city.

Inspired by his mother’s harrowing post-partum complications, which she endured due to the lack of financial resources to access proper medical care, Dr Nyajena is dedicated to ensuring safe and seamless childbirth experiences for women.

Construction of maternity home in Northend suburb

With a vision of providing comprehensive care, the forthcoming hospital, located in North End suburb, will boast an array of essential facilities. These include a well-stocked pharmacy, a state-of-the-art delivery room, private wards for personalised attention, procedure rooms to accommodate various medical needs, a dental room for oral healthcare, a fully-equipped laboratory for comprehensive testing, and an x-ray room, complete with a scan room.

Moreover, the hospital will also feature a casualty section, catering to non-maternity related cases.

Dr Nyajena has set his sights on opening the hospital in June next year, once it is fully equipped to provide top-notch medical services.

Dr Robert Nyajena

Reflecting on his personal journey and the motivation behind this endeavour, he recounted his mother’s near-death experience during his birth. Her undiagnosed complications, overseen by a home midwife due to financial constraints, compelled him to pursue a career in medicine. He resolved to make labour safe for women and alleviate the burden of childbirth complications.

“It was in 2015 when I specialised in obstetrics because I wanted to work directly with women, ensuring that their childbirth experiences were free from complications. From that point forward, I began assisting women in delivering babies at various local hospitals. It was during this time that I recognised the gaps prevalent in most of these institutions. One of the most significant gaps was the stark disparity in the availability of quality healthcare facilities between the affluent and the less fortunate areas,” shared Dr Nyajena.

His ambition is to safeguard women from post-partum complications that could adversely affect their lives. By establishing a conveniently located maternity home in the lower side of the town, Dr Nyajena aims to bridge the gap in accessible healthcare for patients in that area. In 2018, he acquired the land for the hospital, but due to financial constraints, commencing construction proved challenging.

However, driven by his selflessness and determination to serve others, Dr Nyajena, together with his wife, who is also a doctor, established a trust under which the hospital will be registered. The trust, currently comprising his wife, parents, and three children, is expected to grow over the coming years, paving the way for the establishment of a larger hospital.

“In light of this, the maternity home will have a central name, unlike my existing surgery, which is named after my daughter. We have yet to finalise the exact name, but we are considering one that resonates with the residents of the suburb. The decision will come soon, I believe,” the dedicated doctor explained.

Having acquired all the necessary permits and completed the documentation process, Dr Nyajena approached his bank for a loan. However, realising that the bank’s conditions would primarily benefit them rather than himself, he devised an alternative plan. He opened accounts with various construction companies and diligently deposited the funds he would have otherwise deposited into the bank. To his astonishment, the funds gradually accumulated, enabling him to commence construction.

The maternity home is being built within a budget of US$200 000, and an additional US$300 000 will be allocated for equipping the facility. While this represents Dr Nyajena’s second medical centre catering to women, he is also involved in a partnership to run the Pumula South Maternity home, further demonstrating his commitment to providing comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
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