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Chipo Chiumba Business Reporter
Local financial institution, Stanbic Bank and its partners, come to the rescue of cancer patients after re-opening of Harare Central Hospital’s Tariro Hostel for Cancer Patients, which suspended operations in 2017 due to financial constraints.

The cancer patients’ facility was re-opened last Friday following the intervention by Stanbic Bank and its partners that donated $275 000, 32 beds, 32 mattresses, 35 blankets, 35 pairs of sheets, 72 pillow covers, 32 bed covers and four solar geysers for the hostel to re-open.

Stanbic Bank partnered Think Pink Golf, Rank Wholesalers, DSV, Nancy Haven Foundation Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, Beit Trust, Zim Health contributed resources to refurbish the hostels.

This marks Stanbic Bank’s first completed project under its Ruyamuro-Usizo initiatives which is the bank’s healthcare corporate social investment whose objectives include supporting Government’s efforts to provide better healthcare to the nation.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Obadiah Moyo, who received the refurbished facility and goodies, said cancer has become a serious public health concern for the country and the re-opening of the facility was a relief especially to rural cancer patients.

He said many people lost their lives as a result of cancer related diseases and official figures show that at least 2 000 women die annually of the diseases.

“According to the Zimbabwe National Registry report 2016, a total number of 7 265 new cancer cases were recorded among Zimbabweans of all races in 2016 comprising 3 123 (43 percent) males and 4 142 (57 percent) females.

“The most occurring cancers being cervix uteri (18 percent), prostate (10 percent), breast (8 percent). Many cancer cases escape the national health information system because many patients do not seek modern treatment due to myths and misconceptions about cancer related diseases.

“The re-opening of Tariro Hostel comes as a relief to many rural cancer patients who are failing to secure decent accommodation whilst receiving treatment in Harare,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Stanbic Bank’s non-executive board member Valentine Mushayakarara, presented the bank’s healthcare corporate social investment initiative Ruyamuro-Usizo, which seeks to bring together local and international entities who seek to contribute towards the support of Zimbabwean hospitals and clinics.

The initiative also seeks to provide material and non-material support to Zimbabwe’s healthcare facilities for the benefit of the ordinary citizen.

“The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe’s Tariro Hostel we are gathered to officially re-open today was refurbished under Ruyamuro-Usizo and is the first project to be completed under this initiative and we look forward to working with the people of Zimbabwe under Ruyamuro-Usizo initiative,” said Mr Mushayakarara.

However, the hostel needs support for the transportation of cancer patients to Parirenyatwa Hospital daily, sponsoring food for patients accommodated at this hostel and cancer consumables for the accommodated patients like sanitary wear, bandages and drips.