The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, made an official visit to The CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe to celebrate its opening. He was joined by the Vice President and Minister of Health Care, Dr. Constantino Chiwenga, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe (MoHCCZ) and of the city of Bulawayo.
In celebration of this occasion, the president shared a few remarks about the partnership between CURE Zimbabwe and the Government’s efforts to improve the accessibility and quality of healthcare nationwide.
His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa stated:
The partnership with the Zimbabwe Orthopedic Trust, the CURE Children’s Hospital, and other stakeholders to complement government efforts in the health sector is commendable and most appreciated. The provision of free surgeries to children with correctable disabilities enhances access to specialized medical healthcare. Furthermore, evangelism and counseling services will attend to the spiritual needs of patients and their guardians. These interventions help fight stigma and discrimination while restoring a sense of dignity and inclusion for beneficiaries of the facility.
CURE Zimbabwe’s Executive Director Jonathan Simpson conducted a tour of the hospital’s facilities with the President. During his address, he introduced the community to CURE’s newest hospital the CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe.
Executive Director Jonathan Simpson stated:
Our organization is here because of Jesus’ calling to “heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God.” We acknowledge that, in addition to the surgeries, there is a great deal of need in terms of psychosocial support when treating children with disabilities. Often children are traumatized by the stigma and shame they face due to their disabilities, and so, while they are here, we also take the opportunity to ensure that children receive the counseling they need. Our hospital is a safe place for children, where we hope they will experience the love of Christ.
At CURE Zimbabwe, surgeries are free to children under 18 regardless of race, religion, or gender. Conditions that the hospital treats include, but are not limited to, angular limb deformities, congenital upper and lower limb conditions such as clubfoot, bowed legs, knock knees, rickets, osteogenesis imperfecta, and cerebral palsy. At full capacity, CURE Zimbabwe is equipped to do over 2,000 procedures a year.
In addition, Jonathan shared future plans for the hospital, which include a new children’s ward, increasing current capacity, conducting mobile clinics to reach children in remote areas, and giving back to the health care sector of Zimbabwe through training of surgeons and nurses in orthopedics.
Read more about the opening of the CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe:
New children’s orthopaedic hospital opens in Zimbabwe – article from the Medical Sciences Division of Oxford University
ED to open free children’s hospital – article from The Chronicle in Bulawayo
About CURE International
CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of pediatric surgical hospitals, which serve one of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable populations – children with disabilities. Patients at CURE hospitals suffer from orthopedic, neurosurgical, and maxillofacial conditions that limit their mobility/functionality and opportunities for education and employment. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE intentionally ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients in its care and invests in training programs that aim to equip the next generation of health workers and strengthen national health care systems. Since inception, CURE has conducted more than 5.3 million patient visits and 330,000 surgical procedures around the world. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.
