The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
INGUTSHENI Central Hospital has embarked on several income generating projects at their institution in a bid to increase revenue for their sustenance since they do not charge hospital fees due to the nature of their clientele.
The institution which has a bed capacity of 708 patients and sees over 2000 out patients each month said their agricultural ventures would increase the supply of food to the institution and complement disbursements form Treasury.
The Chief Executive Officer Mr Ernest Manyawu told the Health Services Board (HSB) during a visit to the institution yesterday that a resource mobilization team was in place that spearheads mobilisation of resources through investments, approaching companies, civil society, development partners and agricultural projects.
Mr Manyawu said they have a broiler chicken project that produces 1200 chickens each batch.
The latest batch was expected early October but the supply of the chicks and feed was adversely affected by the prevailing economic environment.
The institution also made an application for a loan and a 10 000 bird proposal was submitted to a local bank.
“Authority to start a cattle fattening project on site was obtained from the local authority (BCC) and the construction of a cattle pen with a maximum 35 cattle was started last week and the hospital is mobilising cattle donations to kick start the project,” said the CEO.
The CEO also said the hospital was in the process of putting in place irrigation infrastructure to grow cash crops for the market and have already drilled one borehole and plans were underway to drill two more.
The hospital has contracted companies to lay the main irrigation pipes and connect electricity to the borehole.
Ingutsheni Central Hospital currently grows its own vegetables and crops for hospital consumption under irrigation on its vast acres of land.
The CEO also added that they grow rain fed sugar beans and maize too.
The institution has a staff establishment of 816 and is attending to increased numbers of inpatients and outpatients each month.
The average number of in-patients per day is about 550 and the monthly bed occupancy rate for 2018 is 78.13 percent.
The institution said it offers Antiretroviral Therapy together with Opportunistic Infection services and had 612 patients registered on ART currently.
The HSB acting director Mr Angelbert Mbengwa applauded the institution for being a good example of sound financial management.
“They must be applauded for good financial management as seen by the four awards that they scooped at the Public Sector Audit Conference and Financial Management awards. It is good to note that they are doing their best with the funds that they receive,” he said.
They got the following awards, Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting – 1st runner-up, Budgeting and Financial Planning – 2nd runner-up, Financial Turn Around – 2 runner-up, Overall Best Financial Management for the Year – 2nd runner-up and Innovative Resource Management and Financial Engineering.
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