By Talent Gondo
Chitungwiza Referral Hospital, is in dire need of USD1,1 million to kick start kidney transplants at the health institution which services an estimated 1,5 million inhabitants from Chitungwiza and parts of Mashonaland East.
The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Obediah Moyo told stakeholders at the launch of the hospital’s fundraising initiative for the kidney transplant unit that the money was needed for medicines, transplant and dialysis equipment and consumables among other.
Dr Moyo said while commendable progress had been made towards operationalising the kidney centre, the centre still required $200 000 for additional medical equipment, $43 000 for an air conditioning plant, $35 000 for radiology equipment, $30 000 for further training of professionals, $26 000 for theatre instruments, $15 000 for water reticulation and $10 000 for infection control detergents.
“We are now entering the second phase of the programme, which is the transplantation programme itself,” he said.
“All other aspects have been covered and we now need to kick-start the programme,” said Moyo in a report published in the Herald.
Moyo’s plea comes amid revelations that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent trip to China gobbled over USD1,3 million in airfare alone.
Presidential Secretary and spokesperson, George Charamba told the media that Mnangagwa’s itinerary was the cheapest compared to the other available airliners including the national airliner, Air Zimbabwe.
Chitungwiza Central Hospital is situated in the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, about 30 kilometres south east of Harare and the institution has a hospital bed occupancy of 400.
This is despite that its catchment area has an estimated 1,5 million inhabitants
The hospital also caters for neighbouring areas such as Epworth, Ruwa, Chihota, Seke rural, Marondera, and Mashonaland East province which has an estimated population of more than four million inhabitants.
In a statement issued on World Health Day, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) urged government to prioritise quality and affordable health for it’s citizens emphasising the importance of allocating adequate funds towards the sector.
“There is need to strengthen the pillars of a strong health system as enunciated in the 2004 World Health Organization guidelines,” said the ZADHR.
“All interventions should include good and accountable leadership and governance, adequate financing for medicines, technology and human resources for health and information systems that ensure an efficient, reliable and responsive health delivery system.”