The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube, Post Correspondent
MEMBERS of the International Rotary Club from India on Tuesday visited Mutare Provincial Hospital to meet stakeholders as they prepare to bring 20 medical doctors who will provide free medical services in March next year.
The medical mission will see patients with different ailments in accessing free medical care including surgeries.
The same programme was last conducted in Manicaland province in 2015.
An advance team from India led by Rotarian Mr Madhukar Malhotra, said they were in Mutare to assess medical facilities at Mutare provincial hospital and its capacity to carry out surgical, orthopedics and other operations.
“There were shortcomings the last time the doctors came here like lack of operation theatres. There was low turnout during the first four-five days before hordes of patients came during the last days which made it difficult for them to attend to all patients. This time we hope that there will be a good flow of patients coming in time. We are bringing in a bigger team and there is need of operation theatres to meet the needs.
“We have been doing this for the past 20 years in Africa and we have done medical missions in about 40 countries and these include Mozambique, Malawi, Congo, Nigeria and Ghana. This is our way to give back to the society. We plan to bring in 20 doctors or even more if there are more operation theatres organised in time,” he said.
Mutare Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dorcas Mutede said: “We had a similar medical mission in 2015 and it was successful. The advance team was here to assess the facilities to see if we are capable to carry out the operations such as surgery, orthopedics and dental problems. They were happy and this means that if we iron out some few issues that need to be verified the doctors will be here in March next year.”
The doctors last conducted the free medical services in 2015 where they carried out about 1100 individual surgeries after setting a target of 800. Patients were screened before undergoing the necessary operations. Next year’s medical mission is expected to double the number.
