REPORTS that Mpilo Central Hospital is organising a donor conference to help raise $15 million to refurbish and equip the region’s biggest referral centre are exactly what Zimbabwe needs right now.
The country’s infrustracture is crumbling due to years of economic decline and it is common knowledge that the government has no capacity to do anything about the sad state of affairs. Health institutions are some of the hardest hit by the unprecedented collapse of social services throughout the country.
The most common response by government institutions has been to mourn about failure by Treasury to provide money for maintenance of facilities and the expansion of existing ones.
Several health institutions continue to deteriorate and there doesn’t seem to be any solution in sight. However, Mpilo under chief executive officer Lawrence Mantiziba, has stood out by seeking to find unique solutions to its predicament rather than fold hands and wait for government bail outs.
Mantiziba has been instrumental in connecting the institutions with the local community and corporates who have been chipping in with various donations to help Mpilo to regain its status as a place of healing and rehabilitation of the sick.
Therefore, the latest initiative to bring donors together certainly deserves everyone’s support. According to the document outlining the objectives of the $15 million sought, an estimated $500 000 would be for refurbishing the student nursing home, $600 000 for sprucing up staff residence while a new administrative block would cost an estimated $1 million, with a further $400 000 going towards the maternity theatre.
Completion of a new mortuary that would carry 180 bodies would require $1,5 million, with a new mortuary chapel taking $300 000.
Lecture heaters and functions hall require $500 000, a warehouse for general stores and a pharmacy ($620 000) and road network would require $800 000.
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Mpilo has a five-year strategic plan aimed at turning the health facility into “a centre of excellence in the provision of a holistic health service as well as training and research opportunities in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa and globally”.
The work to achieve that objective has clearly begun and it deserves the support of all well meaning Zimbabweans.
