The rehabilitation of two blocks of staff quarters at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo is complete. The remaining work is scheduled to be finished in June. The landmark repair has modernized the structures damaged by fire in May of last year, leaving 39 healthcare professionals with restricted housing but no clothes or possessions.
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The other two blocks were destroyed by fire in 2018 and 2019, and the government decided to rehabilitate the nurses’ residence, which was in disrepair. The fifth project is the construction of an extra block of flats, a concept that has been discussed for the past 20 years with numerous false beginnings. The DQ building is still under construction and stands out with its gleaming face brick walls and a large bar and leisure space for physicians. All rooms have been tiled, and new cupboards, toilets, and kitchen sets have been installed.
Mpilo Central Hospital Staff Quarters Project’s Development
Solar lighting, water tanks, and doctor parking were all installed as part of the upgrades. The physicians’ house block, which is attached to the DQ building, burned down last year, and so far, 65% of the work to modernize and refurbish the residence has been completed. Workers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army, Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, and Mpilo personnel completed the renovations. In an interview, Mpilo Central Hospital’s acting CEO Professor Solwayo Ngwenya stated that around $322 million of the $350 million funded by the government to restore the facilities has been spent. He stated that Mpilo employees were thankful for the government’s assistance, which he believes would boost service delivery and personnel retention.
Prof Ngwenya stated that they have made remarkable progress with our initiative to restore our staff houses, which were destroyed by fire in 2018. He indicated that they were down roughly $27 million out of the $350 million budgeted for the project. The White House is finished and ready for commissioning, as the DQ building also contains the bar. Last year, the largest structure destroyed by fire is around 65% complete, and a block of flats is nearing completion.
