mbulelo smpofu
Harare Bureau
The Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) has given the greenlight to fast-track the procurement of new cancer machines, potentially before year-end.
The procurement of the machines is premised on the expected release of funds from the sugar tax towards beefing up the country’s cancer equipment.
Since the announcement of the sugar tax in the 2024 National Budget, the Government has raised more than US$18 million.
Speaking at this week’s post-Cabinet briefing, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said while awaiting the release of funds by the Treasury, his ministry had conducted the requisite research on the health sector needs.
“Now that we know that we are going to get money from the sugar tax, we have already sought some advice from the specialists who are the radio-oncologists to say what are their priorities in terms of the equipment that we require,” he said.
“We are at an advanced stage. Praz has approved our request to do a short bid, which is for five days, so that we shorten the procurement period, with a few conditions.
“So we are now in the process of actually requesting for those bids. We hope we will be able to do the procurement process within this side of the year, before December 31.”
Zimbabwe has two cancer treatment centres at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare and Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo. However, the operation of the cancer machines in the two facilities has been erratic due to breakdowns. The Government has since repaired the machines at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo to restore services.
Dr Mombeshora said besides the repair of the existing machines, the plan was to add more machines at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo hospitals while procuring more machines to start new cancer treatment centres.
“We have got two cancer treatment centres in Zimbabwe, one at Parirenyatwa and the other one at Mpilo. “The one at Parirenyatwa is fully operational at the moment, the one at Mpilo now is operational but only the CT scan is not yet operational and we require some money to buy the spares for that CT scan. “We also plan to put other cancer treatment centres at Chinhoyi Hospital, Gweru Provincial Hospital, in Masvingo and Mutare.
The new centres will be fully operational with all the required equipment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has also made progress in implementing other projects aimed at improving healthcare service delivery for all.
Addressing the post-Cabinet meeting, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere reported that the construction of a National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory at Mpilo Hospital was on course, with the construction of the superstructure being at 85 percent completion. He also highlighted other projects that were being implemented under the 100-day cycle programme.“The construction of the water tank at Chitungwiza Central Hospital is on course, with the overall progress being at 55 percent of completion.
The installation of X-ray Machines at Chikurubi Maximum Prison Hospital and Inkomo Barracks Hospital was completed, while other hospitals are at various stages of completion,” he said.
Other projects include the construction of oxygen plant rooms at Lupane Hospital and Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital which are expected to be completed this month as well as the procurement of materials for the renovation of 10 waiting mothers’ shelters and theatres at Mt Darwin, St Albert’s, Siakobvu, Chidamwoyo, Sanyati, Father O’Hea, Manama, St Anne’s Brunapeg, Inyathi and Nkayi hospitals.
