By Elishamai A Ziumbwa
The Harare City Council is set to begin a major transformation of Mabvuku healthcare system by converting the existing polyclinic into full-fledged 24-hour district hospital that can handle emergencies and minor surgical procedures.
In an interview after touring Mabvuku Poly Clinic with Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini, Harare Major Councillor Jacob Mafume said in the next two weeks Mabvuku Polyclinic will be a 24-hour clinic with the aim to ease pressure on major hospitals such as Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
“We want to prevent loss of lives as people are being transported to hospitals such as Parirenyatwa,” he said.
He said this programme will be done in the southern suburbs, the northern suburbs, eastern suburbs so that there will be a minimum of four district hospitals for Harare.
“We are working towards a collaborative effort with the government for us to improve the infrastructure, the personnel and the funding and make it a district hospital,” said Mafume.
He said the council has a lot of land waiting which additional health infrastructure can be built.C
“If we can’t build horizontally, we can build vertically,” he said.
Mafume said even the beds at the poly clinic will be increased.
“Currently it is 30 beds, we are going to increase them to close to 100 beds in a short while,” he said.
He said this initiative will begin with immediate upgrade of this polyclinic into a round-the-clock maternity unit, with future plans to offer emergency and minor surgical services.
