The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A TEAM of officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care responsible for the operations of Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo will next week visit India for a Due Diligence Visit to see the work being done by Shadar Group of Hospitals who won the tender to run the institution.
This was revealed in an interview with the chairman of the taskforce running Ekusileni Medical Centre, Dr Nyasha Masuka who said they had been tasked by the new Health Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo to travel to India.
“We are going to India next week with the team that is working on the re-opening of the hospital for a Due Diligence Visit as per the orders of the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo. We are going to confirm the existence of Shadar, it is standard procedure that we go and see if the people we want to engage really exist,” he said.
Dr Masuka said the process of re-opening of the hospital was initiated by the then Health Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa and the new minister had come and wanted a full appraisal of the developments at the hospital. He said it was vital that they go and see the work that the group of hospitals was doing in India so that they assess if they would be able to carry out the work they proposed to do at Ekusileni.
Dr Masuka will be accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Health Dr John Mangwiro, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze the Medical Superintendent for Gweru Provincial Hospital, Provincial Medical Director for Matabeleland North Province Dr Pugie Chimberengwa, Engineer Clive Marimo, the chief engineer at the Ministry of Health and Principal Director Curative Services, Dr Sydney Makarao.
President Mnangagwa visited the institution in June and said he was surprised at the size of the hospital which has 15 departments and has been lying idle for the past 17 years. He expressed his commitment to have the hospital open at the earliest time and said NSSA should go ahead with any structural improvements that they saw fit.
Shadah Group of Hospitals was awarded the tender to run the hospital and when they come in, they will come in with their own equipment and experts.
The hospital group agreed to train local nurses and doctors that would be working with locals as they start work.
The Minister of State for Bulawayo Province, Cde Judith Ncube, said the opening of the hospital was long overdue.
“This institution’s opening is long overdue, the President is eager to see it operate, the people also want to see it open and serve them so we are waiting to hear from the authorities on progress so far, I understand that there is something being done,” she said.
