The Sunday News
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is working on appointing an executive board to run Mpilo Central Hospital in a move that is expected to improve running of the health institution, a senior Government official has said.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza told Sunday News that the ministry was vetting possible candidates for the board, indicating that the board would be in place “in a few weeks time”.
Mpilo hospital has been operating without a board for almost a year, while sister institutions like the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and Ingutsheni Central Hospital are run with executive boards in place.
Dr Chimedza said the appointment of a board to run Mpilo would improve efficiency at the institution as the board would provide oversight.
“In any institution, it is important to have a board for purposes of corporate governance. We are working on appointing a board to run Mpilo and provide oversight on what the management team will be doing.
“In a few weeks time the board will be in place. The minister will announce it as soon as the process of identifying and vetting suitable candidates is complete, a few weeks from now,” he said.
Dr Chimedza said the board was, among other things, expected to help the hospital management team in raising funds to improve infrastructure and services at the health institution.
Mpilo Central Hospital needs about $15 million for rehabilitation and funds raised during the donor conference would be channelled towards hospital infrastructure, plant and equipment rehabilitation.
“Right now the hospital is seized with a challenge to raise funds. This is one area we feel that the board can come in and assist in a big way. I should hasten to say that the appointment of an executive board for Mpilo is top on our priority list as a ministry,” said Dr Chimedza.
Mpilo Central Hospital is the third largest referral hospital in the country.
The hospital is operating with only one ventilator for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), among other challenges that continue to put the lives of patients at risk.
Four out of 10 theatres at the hospital are working, while only one of the hospital’s seven elevators is operating with constant breakdowns.
However, all hope is not lost for the health institution as a raft of fundraising activities initiated by the hospital’s management team have set a tone for improvement.
Last month the hospital held a donors conference which saw a number of stakeholders pledging to support the hospital in its bid to rehabilitate infrastructure.
At least $200 000 cash was raised at the conference.
Mpilo hospital is owed $16 million by debtors and has engaged debt collectors to recover the money, while the health institution also owes service providers about $2 million.
