Freedom Mashava, Visuals Editor 
NATIVE Investments Africa Group founder and property mogul Philip Chiyangwa is constructing three state-of-the-art hospitals in Harare as he seeks to add to the country’s growing need for healthcare infrastructure and medical equipment.
Native Investments Africa Group and property mogul, Philip Chiyangwa
The properties being constructed in Borrowdale, Bluffhill and Chisipite, are expected to alleviate the country’s health crisis spawned by outdated equipment, drug shortages and recurrent strikes by nurses and doctors over salaries and working conditions.
“This is a specialist hospital (Chisipite Hospital) … the idea was conceived when I started going for my medical operation, that’s when I thought this business of flying someone out of the country for medical treatment was not good … what if I can’t make it on my way there,” Chiyangwa said.
“We don’t want to airlift somebody because they are now gasping for life, we want to have a place where things can happen locally, so these are the three facilities that will be ready for take-off as soon as the doctors have gotten the necessary medical and professional approvals,” he said.
Chiyangwa also urged other Zimbabweans to embark on projects that empower and improve the country’s healthcare system.
The business tycoon said he was going to bring in medical experts to man the facility adding that there were no health institutions in the northern suburbs.
“Basically, this place (Chisipite Hospital) has about 111 beds. However, we were forced to put the projects on hold because our South African partners were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As soon as the pandemic is over, we are ready to roll. We have since revived our discussions and we look forward to finalising and opening the hospital.
“This place (Borrowdale) has already been built with about 120 beds that will be available as soon as possible. Then, we have got the largest maternity setup which is in Bluffhill … this one is ready.
So, I guess that the whole position is that we need to make sure that everything that is there works. We will make sure there is constant supply of medical essentials from the international partners,” he said.
Chiyangwa’s projects come at a time when the government is battling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and the country’s public health care system is teetering on the brink of collapse with shortages of basic drugs and equipment and an overburdened and underpaid staff.
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