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David Shumba Herald reporter
MSU Vice Chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe said plans to establish a medical school at the university were underway with the assistance of the University of Zimbabwe.
Prof Bhebhe said this while officially opening a casualty ward at Gweru Provincial Hospital recently.“We have engaged University of Zimbabwe to establish a medical school at our campus that will be an affiliate of the UZ,” he said.

UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura confirmed the development.

“We are providing professional advice to MSU. We sent a team to assess the environment to see if it is conducive to establish a medical school. My team recognised some areas that need improvement and MSU is working on that.

“The school will run under UZ for 10 or more years as to be agreed,” he said.

Professor Nyagura said his University complement would help in establishing some of the major requirements in establishing a medical school.

“It is expensive to establish a medical school. At UZ, our medical school takes almost 50 percent of our budget.  We will, however, help MSU in establishing the school,” Prof Nyagura said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa said improvement of health facilities in the Midlands province can help MSU’s quest to establish a medical school.

Dr Parirenyatwa said MSU needs good health service facilities in the province to successfully establish a medical school.

“For the University to have a medical school there is need to have a hospital which meets certain laid down criteria in the area,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa said Gweru provincial hospital should work closely with MSU to attract specialist doctors to alleviate staff shortage.