New hospital wing opens in May

The Rhodesia Herald, January 23, 1974

THE new Andrew Fleming Hospital complex is scheduled to open its doors to the first patients at the beginning of May.

And the Ministry of Health says: “We do not expect any serious difficulty in staffing the hospital.”

Phase One of the multi-million dollar complex, the largest single construction job handled by the Rhodesian Government, is nearing completion.

Situated just behind the Central Hospital, one wing of the first phase, which will accommodate 130 beds, has already been handed over to the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry will soon start moving in X-ray and other equipment.

The wing contains an accident and emergency unit, two theatres, two X-ray rooms, a resuscitation room and the new four-bed bays, each with its own bathroom and toilet, which are a special feature of the hospital.

Ultra-modern features include an intercom system between patients and nurses.

Each bed will be electrically connected to a central control panel so that nurses can speak to patients without having to walk the length of a hospital block unnecessarily.

The remaining section of the Phase One block, which is nearly ready for handing over to the Health Ministry, will accommodate an initial 210 beds, according to the controlling architect of the complex, Mr Tom Chaman.

A spokesman for the Ministry said the completed wing of the Phase One block would be staffed by more than 200 people.

They include a matron, seven senior sisters, 36 sisters, 64 student nurses, 35 ward attendants, as well as radiographers and physiotherapists.

Work is already well under way on Phase Two which will be the service centre of the hospital, taking in the kitchen, pharmacy, stores, nine theatres, the central sterile supply department, and the main X-ray rooms.

Mr Chaman said construction work was currently on schedule and no delays were anticipated. Phase Two will be completed by August next year.

Early in 1975 work will begin on Phase Three, which comprises teaching wards, laboratories and libraries.

The entire project, which will cost more than $25 million and will include road works and parking lots, is scheduled for completion in 1981.

The project manager, Mr Frank Holmes, said yesterday overall costs would be slightly up on the initial assessment.

“This is allowing for normal inflationary trends although the increase has been kept to a minimum.”

Mr Holmes said there had been no major snags so far. “We’ve run into plenty of small problems but we’ve managed to solve the lot and basically construction work Is on schedule.”

It was likely that the entire Phase One block, with a total of more than 300 beds, would be operating fully early next year.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is this year celebrating its Golden Jubilee.

◆ Known previously as Andrew Fleming Hospital that catered for the white community, it was renamed Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals soon after independence in 1980, and caters for all racial groups in the country. ◆ Apart from the general medical care and surgical sections, the hospital also has a maternity section — Mbuya Nehanda; and, an eye treatment section — Sekuru Kaguvi; and, an annex for psychiatric care patients. It is also the country’s biggest referral centres. ◆ The hospital now has 5 000 beds

and 12 theatres and treats hundreds of outpatients on a daily basis.

◆ The Second Republic has stressed its commitment towards improving the country’s healthcare delivery system through the construction of clinics; rehabilitation/refurbishment of existing facilities; the acquisition of specialised medical equipment like ambulances and the magnetic resonance imaging equipment recently, installed at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.

For historical information contact: Zimpapers Knowledge Centre at Herald House on: +263 8677 004323; +263 0242 795771 E-mail: knowledgecentre@zimpapers.co.zw