Zimpapers Logo

Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has hailed Citimed Hospital in Chitungwiza for complementing Government efforts to offer free medical services to patients through a programme called Pro Bono Surgical Camp.

The programme, that was officially launched last Friday, offers free screening and surgical operations like hernia, gynaecological cases, dental filling and extraction cases, eye cataracts, albinism lesions orthopaedics, free diabetic and hypertension check-ups.

The surgical camp started last month and is expected to run until the end of April. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Parirenyatwa said he was happy to see the private sector partnering Government in such a manner.

“I am very pleased because the private sector is complementing Government efforts where they have these free camps where significant operations are being run for free for the less privileged members of society,” he said.

“This hospital is reducing the backlog of surgical patients on the waiting list of state-run hospitals by offering the same services on the same terms and conditions.”

Dr Parirenyatwa said it was his belief that other key players in the private sector would also copy what the institution had done.

Citimed’s public relations officer Mr Munyaradzi Mhlanga said the programme was a way of giving back to society.

“This event is part of our ongoing corporate social responsibility programme targeting people from disadvantaged backgrounds,” he said. “We are complementing Government efforts of making health services accessible and affordable to the members of the community.”

Mr Mhlanga said the programme assisted 1 500 patients so far, with more than 120 undergoing different surgical operations.

“We started offering these services last month and to date 1 500 patients have received free medical consultations and among them 120 have already undergone different operations,” he said.

The surgical camp is expected to be held periodically not just in Chitungwiza, but other remote areas around the country in due course.

The event was attended by Citimed board members, Chief Seke, director of Health and Environmental Services in Chitungwiza Dr Tonderai Kasu and other companies.

Meanwhile, Zimplats donated surgical equipment worth $13 000 to Citimed that will be used to perform skin lesion operations on people living with albinism.

Dr Parirenyatwa commended Zimplats for assisting people living with albinism and promised to appoint it an Ambassador of Albinism in Zimbabwe.