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Nqobile Tshili/ Leonard Ncube, Chronicle Reporters
GOVERNMENT has started mobilising medical equipment to equip Lupane Provincial Hospital and the hospital is set to be the first health institution in the country to accommodate all its workers onsite.

Authorities have said if all goes according to plan, the hospital should open its doors to the public next year.

The provincial hospital is expected to relieve pressure on Bulawayo’s Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).

It will also cut travelling costs for patients coming from districts such as Binga that are travelling more than 400km to Bulawayo to seek health services.

Once complete, Lupane Provincial Hospital will serve as a referral hospital for all seven district hospitals in Matabeleland North province.

The construction of the 250-bed hospital was part of Government plans since 2004 but was only scaled up following the coming in of the Second Republic whose thrust is to complete all projects that have been started by the Government.

Responding to questions at the just ended pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who is also Health and Child Care Minister said Lupane Provincial Hospital will be completed in December 2022 and will be the first hospital to accommodate all its staff onsite.

Lupane Provincial Hospital which is under construction with the stores and pharmacy already roofed

He said Government had embarked on a massive programme to construct health facilities countrywide to cut on distances travelled by citizens to access health services.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care is progressing with construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital which had been stalled for over 17 years due to funding constraints.

“We would like to highlight that the completion of this project is a priority in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) in this New Dispensation. This will bring relief to Matabeleland North which has been relying on Bulawayo and mission hospitals,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said all workers for the provincial hospital will be accommodated onsite which could be a first for the country.

“This hospital to be completed in December next year, will be the first hospital in the country to accommodate all its staff on site from floor sweeper up to professor,” he said.

VP Chiwenga said there are several other construction projects going on countrywide

In an interview, Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director Dr Admire Kuretu said the completion of the hospital was long overdue.

“This hospital is very important because it will be the provincial referral hospital,” said Dr Kuretu.

He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care has started procuring medical equipment for the hospital.–@nqotshili