Mpilo Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Narcisius Dzvanga, has slammed the City of Bulawayo and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) for failing to exempt the hospital from water and power cuts, respectively.
Dzvanga made the comments after a power outage interrupted a visit by United States Ambassador Pamela Tremont, who was touring the hospital’s HIV laboratory, which is supported by the U.S. government.
Senzeni Ncube, writing for <a href="https://cite.org.zw/power-outage-disrupts-u-s-ambassadors-visit-to-mpilo-hospital/">CITE</a>, reported that due to the power outage, Ambassador Tremont was unable to see the laboratory equipment in operation. Said Dzvanga:
<blockquote>
As I was coming here, I had my secretary send a reminder to the parent ministry about our request for exemption from outages.
We have several key institutions here, including lines that serve the State House and even water supply, but they can’t separate us from the general grid.
</blockquote>
Dzvanga said that Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart indicated it is feasible to dedicate a water supply to Mpilo without interruptions, although ZESA said it would be difficult to guarantee uninterrupted power supply. He said:
<blockquote>
At the ministerial and cabinet level, it has been long agreed that all health institutions must be exempt from power cuts, including cases of non-payment for water and electricity.
</blockquote>
Dzvanga also revealed that Mpilo Hospital has a solar farm capable of powering the entire facility, but a vital cable for connection is still being sourced from Germany.
He added that once the power cable is installed, the hospital will no longer experience power outages.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The boss of a hospital in Zimbabwe is mad because they had no power during a visit by a US Ambassador. He wanted the hospital to be exempt from power and water cuts. The Ambassador couldn't see the lab equipment working due to the power outage. The hospital has a solar farm that can power everything, but they need a cable from Germany. Once they have the cable, they won't have any more power outages. The hospital boss wants all health institutions to be exempt from power cuts.

Power Outage Disrupts U.S. Ambassador’s Tour of Mpilo Hospital’s HIV Laboratory

A state-of-the-art incinerator funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently under construction at Mpilo Central Hospital and is scheduled for completion in early 2024.
An incinerator is a facility designed to burn waste materials at very high temperatures until they are reduced to ash, gases, and heat.
<a href="https://cite.org.zw/mpilos-cutting-edge-incinerator-nears-completion/">CITE</a> reported Mpilo Chief Medical Officer, Dr Narcissus Dzvanga, as saying that the incinerator would not only benefit the hospital but also assist the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in waste management. Said Dzvanga:
<blockquote>
The incinerator is under construction, it’s going to be a game changer in waste management in the Southern region. It’s not meant to save the hospital but the city.
As you saw for yourself it’s a huge building and it’s going to come with two trucks for collecting liquid waste and other forms of waste.
I am sure we will be able to assist Bulawayo City Council (BCC) with waste management as well.
Everything is ready, they have started the recruitment of relevant staff, incinerator operator, electrical engineer, and mechanical engineer.
Once we have the full complement of the staff that is required then they are ready to bring the meta.
What they don’t want is to deliver then the thing is lying idle because we don’t have an incinerator operator, the engineer.
So they are saying once we have manpower ready, they deliver, they train and we are done.
For some of the ranks they are basics, drivers, general hands, we can recruit within.
</blockquote>
Overreliance on donor funds to construct critical public health infrastructure could be an indication of misplaced priorities by the Zimbabwean Government.
In the 2024 ZWL$58.2 trillion budget, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube allotted ZWL$6.3 trillion to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
This represents a meagre 9.2 per cent, which is about 6 per cent shy of the Abuja Declaration agreed 15 per cent which Zimbabwe ratified.
Meanwhile, incineration can be controversial due to concerns about air pollution, potential health risks, and the impact on the environment.
However, modern incinerators are often equipped with air pollution control technologies to minimize emissions of pollutants such as particulate matter, heavy metals, and dioxins.
Furthermore, when properly designed, operated, and regulated, incinerators can provide a way to manage certain types of waste and reduce the volume of material going to landfills.
They can also be useful in recovering energy in the form of heat or electricity through waste-to-energy technologies.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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