The Sunday News
PUBLIC-PRIVATE partnerships are an important way to fund and sustain infrastructure projects and public services.
Experts say public-private partnerships involve collaboration between a government agency and a private-sector company that can be used to finance, build, and operate projects, such as public transportation networks, parks, and convention centres. Financing a project through a public-private partnership can allow a project to be completed sooner or make it a possibility in the first place. Public-private partnerships often involve concessions of tax or other operating revenue, protection from liability, or partial ownership rights for a certain period, among others.
The model has worked in various sectors and the Government has successfully implemented it in some aspects like road infrastructure. Apart from the formula where private partners get to benefit financially at some stage, some private organisations have partnered with Government as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, and the outcome has been beneficial to both parties, including the general public.
It is a fact that no Government can always have all the financial resources to respond to any emergency, and therefore private companies and even members of the public are often relied upon to rise to the occasion if need be.
It does not matter what kind of partnership is struck with Government and private players, as long as it is done for the benefit of the citizens.
Such initiatives are needed urgently to rebuild a block of flats at Mpilo Central Hospital that houses doctors. The apartment was gutted by fire last Wednesday night following a suspected electrical fault and the whole first floor was left unusable. About 39 hospital staff that include doctors is in desperate need of help after losing accommodation and personal belongings to the fire.
Mpilo Hospital acting chief executive officer, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said their plea was for well-wishers to come onboard and partner Government in reconstructing the facilities.
“We are sad that we have lost a large chunk of our accommodation for our members of staff, of which the estimated cost of property lost is at least US$500 000. The tenants reported seeing electricity sparks from a distribution box in the electrical room, therefore that is where we suspect the fire probably started but the Fire Brigade is still conducting its investigations.
“Some of the affected tenants had jumped out from the first floor, at the same time trying to salvage the little they could. The building houses 39 health workers. We are lucky that no one got seriously hurt except a doctor who broke an ankle and the other who inhaled fumes from the smoke,” said Prof Ngwenya.
The issue of accommodation is crucial to every worker, especially in the health sector. When health workers and doctors stay within the hospital, they are able to respond timeously to the call for duty, which is why it is important that the burnt apartment is rebuilt as soon as possible. Apart from being close to their work stations, such kind of free accommodation also eases the burden in terms of paying rentals in private lodgings and transport costs to and from work.
Mpilo hospital has over 1 000 beds. It is a major paternal centre which serves the population of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Matabeleland North and South, Midlands and Masvingo Provinces. It is also a teaching hospital for the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), and has strong links with the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and several other academic institutions.
