The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, the country’s major health referral centre, has conducted 62 open-heart surgeries to date, as public hospitals expand specialist services, with Chitungwiza Central and Gweru Provincial hospitals now offering total hip and knee replacements, it has been learnt.
This marks a major step in expanding access to advanced specialist care within Zimbabwe’s public health sector.
Until recently, such procedures, which involve surgically replacing damaged joints with artificial implants, were only available at select public health institutions, expensive private facilities or through costly medical trips abroad, making them unaffordable for the majority of Zimbabweans.
The rollout of these advanced services at public health institutions has brought high-end procedures closer to communities, aligning with Government efforts to make specialist care more accessible and affordable.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Aspect Maunganidze said: “Quaternary or specialist services have been expanded and brought closer to the people.
“This has seen Chitungwiza and Gweru hospitals offering advanced surgeries such as total hip and knee replacement.”
Total hip and knee replacements are complex procedures that involve replacing damaged joints with artificial implants to restore mobility and relieve chronic pain caused by arthritis, injury or degenerative diseases.
“Open-heart surgeries at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals managed to go beyond the milestone of 50 operations,” said Dr Maunganidze.
“Open-heart surgery is a critical indicator of Zimbabwe’s healthcare capabilities. The successful launch of the programme in June 2023 has seen 62 patients being operated on to date.”
Open-heart surgeries are intricate procedures that involve repairing or replacing damaged heart valves, correcting congenital heart defects or bypassing blocked arteries to restore proper blood flow — critical interventions that require highly trained specialists and sophisticated equipment.
“Clearly, this presents an opportunity to grow the specialised workforce and places Zimbabwe among its peers,” added Dr Maunganidze.
“The combination of different specialists and specialised equipment will propel the country into the future.
“This service has a huge potential of reversing outward medical tourism and making Zimbabwe a regional hub or centre of excellence.”
For comments, Feedback and Opinions do get in touch with our editor on WhatsApp: +44 7949 297606.