News / National
'Upgrade Mpilo, Harare hospitals'
14 May 2017 at 14:53hrs | Views
Harare and Mpilo central hospitals require a major facelift to match the burden of care and modern hospital designs, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has said.
Dr Parirenyatwa said historically, the two hospitals were specifically designed for the black population, whereas Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and United Bulawayo Hospitals were designed for white patients.
"This created a huge gap between these institutions in terms of quality of services such as ventilation, corridors, space and so forth," said Dr Parirenyatwa.
"But when the first black Minister, Dr (Herbert) Ushewokunze assumed office soon after Independence, he said 'this is nonsense, let us change everything and standardise these institutions' and this is exactly what we are trying to do."
Dr Parirenyatwa said this means Harare and Mpilo hospitals should be renovated to match, not only the burden of care that has also grown higher, but also modern hospital designs.
"So, we want new buildings for both Harare and Mpilo hospitals so that they also look like other modern hospitals," he said.
Harare Central Hospital was built in 1945 with bed occupancy of only 284, but has since grown to over 1 000 beds.
The hospital caters for about 1 500 deliveries and handles an average of 6 000 causalities per month.
Mpilo Central Hospital was opened in 1958 as an hospital for the indigenous African people.
Dr Parirenyatwa said in order to decongest these and other central hospitals, Government was working on creating district hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo.
In Harare, Mabvuku polyclinic has since been upgraded to a district hospital.
Dr Parirenyatwa said this would go a long way in decongesting central hospitals, which were being overwhelmed.
"We have now agreed that Mabvuku polyclinic must be a district hospital, so as Harare South clinic, so that those clinics should be able to offer other services currently available only at central hospitals such as X-ray services and caesarian sections," he said.
Harare City Council intends to construct new clinics in Caledonia and Glen Norah, as well as upgrade to satellite status clinics in Highlands, Waterfalls, Kuwadzana and Budiriro.
Dr Parirenyatwa said historically, the two hospitals were specifically designed for the black population, whereas Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and United Bulawayo Hospitals were designed for white patients.
"This created a huge gap between these institutions in terms of quality of services such as ventilation, corridors, space and so forth," said Dr Parirenyatwa.
"But when the first black Minister, Dr (Herbert) Ushewokunze assumed office soon after Independence, he said 'this is nonsense, let us change everything and standardise these institutions' and this is exactly what we are trying to do."
Dr Parirenyatwa said this means Harare and Mpilo hospitals should be renovated to match, not only the burden of care that has also grown higher, but also modern hospital designs.
"So, we want new buildings for both Harare and Mpilo hospitals so that they also look like other modern hospitals," he said.
Harare Central Hospital was built in 1945 with bed occupancy of only 284, but has since grown to over 1 000 beds.
The hospital caters for about 1 500 deliveries and handles an average of 6 000 causalities per month.
Mpilo Central Hospital was opened in 1958 as an hospital for the indigenous African people.
Dr Parirenyatwa said in order to decongest these and other central hospitals, Government was working on creating district hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo.
In Harare, Mabvuku polyclinic has since been upgraded to a district hospital.
Dr Parirenyatwa said this would go a long way in decongesting central hospitals, which were being overwhelmed.
"We have now agreed that Mabvuku polyclinic must be a district hospital, so as Harare South clinic, so that those clinics should be able to offer other services currently available only at central hospitals such as X-ray services and caesarian sections," he said.
Harare City Council intends to construct new clinics in Caledonia and Glen Norah, as well as upgrade to satellite status clinics in Highlands, Waterfalls, Kuwadzana and Budiriro.
Source - sundaynews
