The Sunday Mail
Ray Bande in CHISUMBANJE
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA yesterday fulfilled his Government’s pledge to equip St Peter’s Mission Hospital in Chisumbanje, Chipinge South constituency, when he handed over a donation of an ambulance and an array of medical equipment and consumables.
He made a brief stopover at the Roman Catholic-run health facility, before launching the ZANU PF 2023 election campaign at Mutema Secondary School in Mutema-Musikavanhu constituency, Chipinge district.
The President handed over an assortment of medical equipment that includes 24 hospital beds, four delivery beds, an anaesthetic machine, five oxygen concentrators, four patient monitors, 10 humidifiers, four drip stands and two boxes of nasal oxygen cannula.
He also gave an automated wheelchair to Chief Vusani Musikavanhu.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, President Mnangagwa said Government was duty-bound to intervene in situations of need.
“When Vice President (Dr Constantino) Chiwenga came down here for a wellness programme with Minister Kirsty Coventry, he handed over a donation to this hospital, but took heed of the things that this hospital needed,” he said. We, therefore, made a pledge to bring the equipment that was needed.
“It is Government’s responsibility to intervene where there is need and we are doing exactly that. We will be doing much more for the hospital because we know this is not enough.
“We can never solve everything in a day, but we are happy that we have managed to fulfil the pledge we made.”
Dr Stephen Mbiri, head of the institution, said: “We are really thankful to the President and Government for this timely intervention.
“We badly needed this equipment and ambulance. This donation will certainly go a long way in improving the health delivery system in our catchment area.”
The hospital recently underwent a major facelift through funding from Government and local National Assembly representative Enock Porusingazi’s share of the Constituency Development Fund.
The handover of the medical equipment is in sync with the broader national strategy of championing the revamping and modernisation of public health institutions to facilitate universal health coverage.
Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Chiwenga is on record saying the Government wants to establish a first-class public health system equipped with state-of-the-art ambulances.
As a result, the Government has established a National Ambulance Directorate, while the Accident and Emergency Nursing School has been set up in Chivhu.
