MPILO Central Hospital chief executive officer Lawrence Mantiziba says the health institution requires about $7 million to refurbish its infrastructure.
Report by Blondie Ndebele Own correspondent
Addressing guests during a fund-raising dinner and launch of the hospital’s resource mobilisation strategy at a local hotel last Friday, Mantiziba described most of the infrastructure at the hospital as obsolete.
“The situation is very pathetic, the financial crisis at the hospital has led to poor health delivery. The state of the equipment and infrastructure has become a major challenge to hospital infection control,” said Mantiziba.
He said there was only one working elevator at the hospital, making it difficult to take patients to the theatre.
“We need $950 000 for repairs of the elevators as only one out of the three elevators is working. We also need $150 000 for generators and the Adult Intensive Care Unit needs $200 000 for total refurbishment.”
Mantiziba said the hospital needed vehicles, replacement of water booster pumps, refurbishment of the kitchen and replacement of obsolete equipment.
He said $1 million was needed to build a new administration block to decongest the current one.
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Mantiziba said facilities at the hospital, built in 1957 for a population of 100 000 people, were now failing to cope with Bulawayo’s current population of 1,5 million.
“Most of the hospital infrastructure built in 1957 faces a number of challenges, including lack of preventive maintenance and repairs, resulting in infrastructure being broken and dilapidated. This compromises our vision and mission because we keep having excuses to our patients.”
He said $100 000 was required for resuscitating the boiler and another $200 000 for repairs of the maternity wing’s roof.
He said the dental unit, doctors’ quarters, the student nurses’ home, staff accommodation, warehouse and pharmacy were in a deplorable state and needed total refurbishment.
CBZ Holdings donated a fully-equipped ambulance, while several companies and individuals pledged various amounts of cash and goods to assist the hospital.
