GOVERNMENT has called for the transformation of the multimillion-dollar Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo into a world-class research institution to enhance the nation’s response to COVID-19 and other diseases.

Briefing the media after a provincial COVID-19 meeting in Bulawayo this Saturday, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, who is also a member of the COVID-19 Inter-Ministerial Taskforce, called on the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to go beyond just refurbishing Ekusileni Medical Center in Bulawayo.

“We do not want to stop the work that is going on but we want to ensure that government’s mandate to turn the institution into a whole class specialist training research centre is fulfilled,” said Moyo.

The Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Honourable Raymore Machingura said the development of Ekusileni Medical Centre into a specialist training school and research centre will benefit the ordinary people.

“Our vision to develop skills for the country this hospital will certainly do that. We will have specialists in the area for our people. It is also important in that the centre can because a regional and an international centre whereby will have people coming from across the board to seek training here,” he said.

Cabinet recently approved Ekusileni Medical Centre to be transformed into a specialist teaching and research medical facility under the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).

Ekusileni Medical Centre is a brainchild of the late Vice President, Dr Joshua Nkomo, but the hospital has been closed for close to two decades while several attempts to open it have failed with no good reason offered.