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President Mugabe commissions state-of-the-art medical equipment worth $100 million sourced from China at Harare Central Hospital yesterday. Looking on are Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Lin Lin, Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa and other dignitaries

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
President Mugabe yesterday commissioned state-of-the-art medical equipment in Harare worth $100 million, expected to overhaul the country’s health delivery system.

The equipment, bought using a loan sourced from China as part of mega deals struck during President Mugabe’s 13th State visit to China last year, includes ultrasound machines, chemistry analysers, breath resuscitation bags, foetal heartbeat detectors, incubators, emergency trolleys, obstetric beds, ambulances and mobile clinic buses and will be distributed to various health centres countrywide.

Commissioning the equipment at Harare Central Hospital, President Mugabe said the equipment would make the country’s health system more efficient and reduce the number of patients seeking treatment outside the country.

He said the equipment would also promote medical tourism as people from other countries would seek medical services here.

“I believe doctors who yesterday perhaps used crude instruments, now they are going to use sharpened instruments, very modern, modern indeed.

“Then also as it performs that improved functions, it also enhances psychologically the performer, the hander and gives him greater confidence. That’s what sophisticated equipment does to its handler,” he said.

He said the new equipment would contribute positively in retaining medical personnel who otherwise could have been frustrated by using archaic tools. The new equipment would give confidence to patients too.

President Mugabe said information had spread everywhere that Zimbabwe was more proficient and efficient and that with the new state -of -the- art equipment, the number of patients seeking treatment in Zimbabwe would increase.

“If yesterday we were getting fewer patients from outside, their numbers will increase in the future and even from South Africa itself where our people rush to, from what they believe is better treatment.

“Then with that confidence, the pride and the fame that it gives us, we will also be the pride and fame with our all weather friends, the Chinese,” he said.

President Mugabe expressed gratitude to the Chinese for extending the loan to buy the equipment and also applauded medical personnel and other civil servants for resisting the temptation to leave the country at the height of the economic hardships.

He said Government was aware of the workers’ low salaries, but said he too as the President of the country, was earning about $10 000, which increased to $12 000 when few allowances were added.

“We were looking at the salaries for the other Presidents the other day, but we say well as long as we have sadza nenyama and takatora nyika and we have cattle and goats so we get our meat and chicken, well that’s alright we will keep alive and the good days will come and good days are coming,” he said.

President Mugabe said performers in all sectors who deserved better treatment would be rewarded.

“We are aware, we are aware right across all sectors, the teachers, the doctors, other civil servants and the ordinary men, employees in the private sector. Those are things our economy must do,” he said.

He said the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET) was one such effort meant to resuscitate the economy.

Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa, said the equipment would go a long way in boosting the morale of health professionals who were becoming frustrated as they lacked tools of the trade.

“They did not have tools for service delivery that was also needed to train the new personnel. What you have come to launch today sets us on the path to enhance these capacities and provide an acceptable service for our people.

“The field of medical technology is ever evolving and this support has allowed a near quantum leap in advancement following difficult years and indeed sets us on the path to adopting appropriate technology timely,” he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Lin Lin, said China would continue assisting the country.

He said said current successes in Zim – China economic corporation, were a result of political ties that existed between the two countries.

He said since 1985, China had sent several batches of medical personnel to Zimbabwe and built a state of the art 129 bedded hospital in Mahusekwa, among other initiatives.