Story by Gay Matambo
ZIMBABWE Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has officially handed over its LED Lighting Retrofit and Automation Project to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, a development expected to enhance operational efficiency at the healthcare facility.
The project involved a complete upgrade of the hospital’s lighting system, replacing outdated, energy-intensive bulbs with modern LED technology to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.
“ZERA’s intervention in Mutare follows a successful blueprint already implemented at other major referral centres. Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital is the latest beneficiary,” ZERA Vice Board Chairperson Retired Colonel Morgan Mudzinganyama said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Dr Engineer Gloria Magombo, described the retrofit as a strategic financial relief measure estimated to save 45 percent of the hospital’s lighting-related energy costs.
“By modernising our lighting systems, we are not just saving power, we are ensuring that critical institutions like Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital can operate reliably while reducing their financial burden,” she said.
The lighting retrofit complements other recent green energy milestones at the facility, which include the 140 kiloWatt solar power plant, moving the provincial hospital closer to energy self-sufficiency.
“By retrofitting this hospital with LED technology and sensors, ZERA has ensured that the solar power generated here goes much further. This is a practical demonstration of how we can achieve energy security by combining generation with smart conservation,” Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza said.
The Medical staff is already noticing the difference, citing better visibility during night shifts and a modern environment for patient recovery.
“The clarity provided by these new systems ensures that our staff can perform their duties with greater precision. Furthermore, the cost savings on our electricity bills will allow us to redirect resources toward essential patient care and medicines,” Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital Matron Ms Sheila Chimbetete said.
“We welcome this initiative, which has improved our lighting at this hospital, and we can now study,” a student nurse said.
“We used to be scared to walk in the dark, but now the lighting system has been modernised, and we appreciate it,” a hospital resident said.
As Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital continues to expand its specialised services, this energy-saving partnership with ZERA ensures that the facility remains both environmentally sustainable and fiscally resilient in the face of rising utility costs.
