Published: 08 July 2018

THE United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) has started refurbishing its former Infectious Diseases Hostel which will be turned into an  Orthopaedics Centre.

The double storey hostel has been lying idle since it was gutted by fire in 2013 which started at a staff hostel and destroyed property worth thousands of dollars.

In an interview, UBH chief executive officer Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu said the centre is being remodelled into an orthopaedic hospital through a public and private partnership with Zimbabwe Orthopaedic Trust initiated last year.

"This is a project that has been on the pipeline since 2014 and in 2017 that's when we finally got a go ahead from the Government. A total of US$25 million will be invested into the whole project reassuring that once it's done orthopaedic patients will be treated here," she said.

She said orthopaedics was a medical specialty of the treatment of the musculoskeletal system which includes bones, joints and muscles.

"This will be a 40-bed hospital offering corrective orthopaedic work as well as reconstructive surgery with children up to the age of 18 years receiving free treatment," said Mrs Ndlovu.

She said this was a sign that Zimbabwe was also improving its health delivery system.

"This project highlights and follows the mantra Zimbabwe is Open for Business, US$25 million as far as the project is concerned will certainly go a long way, this is the kind of progress that I think Bulawayo needs at this moment," said Mrs Ndlovu.

There has also been a lot construction work taking place at UBH aimed at improving infrastructure and facilities.

Construction of the first obstetric fistulas centre is also underway. The hospital has also partnered with the Bulawayo City Council on a project to improve the Richard Morris Hospital, an eye treatment facility.
- zimpapers

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