It has been an exciting year on the Zimbabwe Health Facilities Programme in 2022, with great progress being made across all four sites. The Programme has also been identified as key to the Government’s goals as set out in the National Health Strategy 2021 -2025.
Construction on the first facility in the Programme at Stoneridge, Harare South was completed in Q1, with installation of world class medical and non-medical equipment, including a mobile X-Ray system, occurring shortly afterwards. Following a visit to the facility in March 2022, the Honourable Vice President and Minister of Health described the Stoneridge Health Centre as “well-structured” and “the first of its kind in Zimbabwe, in terms of design and state of the art equipment.” The facility was officially opened by His Excellency President Mnangagwa on 13th May 2022 and was hailed by Zimbabwean press. The President promised to sponsor the cost of education for the first four babies born at the facility.
At the second site at Cowdray Park in Bulawayo, construction has progressed across the year, ending in November 2022 with the installation, commissioning, and training of medical and non-medical equipment. The Health Centre has enjoyed great engagement with the local community, with many local residents rallying to help clean the site perimeter prior to the superstructure erection. The site has also been the focus of various visits by dignitaries, including the Permanent Secretary of Local Government and Public Works, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of State for Bulawayo.
This year has also seen the Ministry of Health and Childcare avail 2 new sites to NMSI, in Mataga, Mberengwa and Runyararo, Chimanimani. NMSI has mobilised to site quickly, undertaking all necessary site surveys and gaining necessary environmental permits. Construction of the Mataga Health Centre is progressing well, with the substructure completed in November, before the erection of the steel frame in December 2022. The Chimanimani site boundary has now been demarcated and earthworks on the site commenced in November 2022.
Early next year NMSI will complete the handover of Mataga Health Centre and the Runyararo Health Centre. This year also saw NMSI and the MOHCC signing an Addendum to the original contract, which sees NMSI delivering a further four health centres in 2023. Further, outline terms have been agreed between the Ministry of Finance and ECIC of South Africa, along with various South African banks, to fund the rest of the programme, with $105million being made available early in 2023 and the balance 18 months later. NMSI greatly looks forward to continuing to work with the Government of Zimbabwe to further achieve their health, development, and social goals in 2023.