New 60-bed hospital takes shape in Bulawayo's Parklands

A BULAWAYO entrepreneur, Mr Victor Moyo is building a 60-bed hospital in Parklands suburb, a development that will complement Government efforts to improve access to healthcare services in the city.

Government is working on putting in place an appropriate framework for the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) schemes to create a robust system aimed at enhancing effective healthcare delivery.

Zimbabwe's restructured health services seek to leave no one behind by ensuring everyone has access to quality health services.

The Second Republic has been working around the clock to re-equip and upgrade existing hospitals and clinics while at the same time building new health facilities as it wants hospitals or clinics to be within walking distance.

Healthcare delivery is anchored as one of the pillars that drive economic development according to the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the Second Republic's Vision 2030.

Mr Moyo, who owns four schools, believes education and health are closely related. He said his venture was inspired by the need to bring positive change in communities. When he ventured into education his aim was to take away the youths from the streets.

 Mr Moyo said he realised that school pupils and his members of staff need quality health care hence his decision to build the hospital which will also serve the community.

The schools run by Mr Moyo are Tshebetshebe Primary School, Angels Primary School, Canna Primary School and V Mhlophe High School. The four schools were opened between 2017 and 2022

Through his investments in schools, he is complementing Government efforts to reduce the shortage of schools in the country. Zimbabwe has a shortage of over 3 000 schools and Bulawayo needs at least 65 more schools.

Interestingly, when Mr Moyo approached Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in 2015, his intention was to secure land to build a technical vocational training centre, targeting youths who he said were being consumed by alcohol, substance abuse while others were into gold panning.

Mr Moyo said his idea was to empower the youths with life skills to improve their livelihoods.

However, the local authority only provided him with land to construct a primary school and has since grown to four schools.

 "When I started these schools, this other holiday I saw a lot of young men loafing around and they were busy consuming alcohol and involved in illegal gold panning. Initially, when I approached council I wanted to buy land where I could build a vocational training centre to equip youth with technical skills," said Mr Moyo.

"I failed to secure that land as the local authority said it could only give me a space to build a primary school. By investing in the education sector, I wanted children to have better dreams."

Growing up in Shampale village in Filabusi in Matabeleland South, Mr Moyo said he discovered that children lacked exposure which in turn killed their dreams.

 "I grew up in the remote Filabusi in the Silalatshane and Shampale villages. The things that I grew up knowing were herding cattle and going to the farms. The best dream I could have had was to be a teacher but I never imagined myself being a teacher," he said.

Mr Moyo said while servicing the education sector, he also observed that workers in the sector had challenges in terms of accessing healthcare and this inspired him to construct the health facility.

 "We are a group of schools and so far we have four schools.  We have a serious challenge when it comes to accessing health services hence this hospital project," he said.

Mr Moyo said when complete the hospital will serve pupils, members of staff and the surrounding communities.

The double-storey health facility is nearing completion and Moyo said he is planning to set up a similar project in Harare.