THE City of Harare, in partnership with Nedbank Zimbabwe, has begun refurbishing Edith Opperman Maternity Clinic in Mbare to upgrade infrastructure and equipment, as it moves to improve maternal and child healthcare services.
The refurbishment is part of efforts to ease pressure on Harare’s overstretched maternity facilities and improve access to quality maternal healthcare in high-density suburbs, where demand for services continues to rise.
Speaking during the project’s official commencement ceremony, Harare mayor Jacob Mafume said the city planned to expand the maternity clinic from a primary to a secondary healthcare facility.
“We are considering expanding this clinic by repurposing the adjacent Carter House from its current use as a firewood factory and transforming it to a fully-equipped maternity wing complete with a theatre for Caesarean operations,” Mafume said.
“We are the only local authority in Zimbabwe that has done 148 Caesarean operations since last and we are looking at opening a theatre here in Mbare, a theatre in Dzivarasekwa, and a theatre in Hatcliffe.
“We are going to introduce emergency room services so that people who are involved in bar fights or minor accidents can receive treatment without overwhelming facilities meant for maternity care. Caesareans do not really need to be rushed across town because someone was stabbed fighting at a bar.”
Mafume said all public-private partnerships entered into by the City of Harare were done in good faith and should not be viewed with suspicion.
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City health director Prosper Chonzi, represented by Michael Vere, hailed Nedbank’s corporate social responsibility investment.
“This public-private partnership fits seamlessly into our new vision to become a smart city of choice. Our city is divided into four zones in terms of health delivery, where we intend to establish secondary-level care through the introduction of fully-equipped district hospitals,” he said.
Nedbank acting managing director Heresy Herry acknowledged the role of government ministries in facilitating the project.
“This occasion marks not only the commencement of refurbishment works, but also a powerful statement of shared purpose, partnership and commitment to the health and wellbeing of our communities,” he said.
Herry said the project aligned with national development priorities by focusing on maternal and child healthcare.
“Maternal and child health lies at the heart of sustainable national development. Healthy mothers raise healthy families and healthy families build resilient communities,” he said.
“The Edith Opperman Maternity Clinic will play a critical role in expanding access to quality maternal healthcare, easing pressure on existing facilities and ensuring that expectant mothers receive dignified, safe and timely care.
“For Nedbank, this project reflects our enduring belief that banks must be more than financial institutions — we must be partners in national development. This project is a strong example of what can be achieved through a public-private partnership.”
The refurbishment will include extensive upgrades to the clinic’s infrastructure, such as roof repairs, wall renovations, new ceilings, driveway paving, electrical rewiring and improvement to delivery rooms and sanitation facilities.
“To meet the power needs of the hospital, we purchased a 22KVA generator plus a 12KVA full solar system,” Herry said.
In addition, Nedbank has already purchased medical equipment valued at US$92 000 that includes incubators, baby resuscitators, delivery beds, ward beds and vital organ monitoring machines. Some of the equipment has already been delivered, with the rest expected by 30 April 2026.”
