Zimbabwe has taken delivery of an assortment of state of the art equipment worth over US$1 million from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as government makes strides towards re-equipping public hospitals, cabinet ministers said on Tuesday.
Doctors at the country’s main referral hospitals have repeatedly
bemoaned critical shortages of equipment and other sundries affecting
service delivery and early this year met with President Emmerson
Mnangagwa to present their grievances.
In response, President Mnangagwa pledged to source funds and donations
to equip the institutions.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica
Mutsvangwa told journalists that the bulk of the equipment, worth US$650
000 was acquired by government from India while the UAE chipped in with
a donation of equipment worth US$400 000.
“This positive development was a result of His Excellency, President
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-engagement with the international community
where he extended an appeal for support towards revival of Zimbabwe’s
health care delivery system,” she said at a post Cabinet briefing.
The long list of equipment includes dialysis machines, vital signs
monitors, respiratory aid devices, neo-natal intensive care monitors and
paediatric incubators, hydraulic and electric theatre tables as well as
ventilators.
Health and Childcare Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said the UAE equipment
was earmarked for Harare Hospital, which the Arab country had also
pledged to refurbish.
The other equipment will be distributed to five central hospitals.
“The Indian equipment was bought at the right price as it was purchased
directly from the manufacturers,” Dr Moyo said.
“We have managed to buy equipment for five central hospitals, whereas
if we had gone through an agent, we would just have been able to buy for
one hospital.”
Both the UAE and the Indian government have pledged to assist Zimbabwe
re-build its health care systems following high level engagements.
Meanwhile, Dr Moyo said government was working on a cocktail of
strategies to boost production and availability of drugs at affordable
prices.
“We want to bring manufacturers into Zimbabwe and create bonded
warehouses, that would enable us to immediately access products instead
of waiting for three months under a normal tender,” he said.
Dr Moyo said recent currency changes had outlawed charging for drugs by
pharmacies in foreign currency.
“Pharmacies now cannot charge in US dollars, those found flouting the
law will face the consequences,” he said.
New Ziana
