The Sunday News
A hospital by simple definition is a health care institution that provides treatment services to patients using specialised staff and equipment. In Zimbabwe when one thinks or talks of hospitals, Mpilo is one of the hospitals whose name quickly comes to mind.This is because the hospital plays a crucial role in the health care of people living in Bulawayo, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and North as well as the Midlands. At some point the hospital was said not to be functioning well, resulting in it being forced to suspend surgical operations while infrastructure was said to be in a dilapidated state.
However, some companies came on board and adopted major wards and started financing their rehabilitation. The exercise revamped the hospital’s infrastructure in the process enhancing service delivery. Among the facilities that underwent renovations were the Casualty Department, repainting of a 38-bed male ward whose broken wooden tiles were replaced with ceramic tiles. Electrical cables were also repaired while bathrooms, sinks, sewage and water reticulation systems were attended to.
Only a few weeks ago Mpilo also received a major boost when it signed a memorandum of understanding with three Indian hospitals that will enable the institution to conduct specialist diagnostic operations and perform complicated operations including transplants.
The Indian hospitals namely Artemris, Fortis and Mendata also signed an MoU with the National University of Science and Technology that will see senior Indian doctors lecturing at the university’s medical school.
All the above were major developments that are crucial in saving Mpilo from collapse and last Friday we observed with interest the coming into fruition of an initiative by the residents to contribute in the development of their beloved hospital. The Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) is at the forefront of the construction of a three-kilometre perimeter wall whose cost is estimated at about $200 000. Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the project, Bura chairman Mr Winos Dube said they had managed to raise $10 394,13 towards the exercise.
Although this might seem a drop in the ocean, we believe what is important is the thought behind the project. After all, as part of the fund-raising initiative Bura has been calling on the residents to contribute just a dollar towards the exercise.
The move by Bura should be applauded by all those with Bulawayo at heart. It is also a sign that the residents association is there not just to complain when things seem not to be going in the right direction, but it can also contribute to the development of the city and its infrastructure.
It is also an indication that the residents can also play a part in the upkeep of the hospital and protection of its equipment. The initiative also goes a long way in connecting the residents to the hospital and also puts to rest the talk that the people of Bulawayo are cry babies who are fond of complaining every time they encounter problems, be they political or economic. In fact the people of Bulawayo have become a laughing stock because of their perceived failure to face challenges head-on.
However, through this initiative no matter how small it might seem, it is an indication that when people get their heads under the same thinking cap, positive things can be achieved. It is our hope that individuals and corporate entities will embrace this new-found spirit of doing something to improve our city by partnering our health institutions in their areas of expertise. Experts can volunteer their expertise in many areas at the health institutions, thereby improving the quality of service. Let us not only ask what our Government can do for us but what we can do for our Government, which is, ultimately, our creation.
