Story by Tino Zirongwe
KARANDA Mission Hospital in Mount Darwin is expanding specialised healthcare services and intensifying community outreach programmes, reinforcing its role as a key partner in Zimbabwe’s healthcare delivery system.
The institution hosted journalists from various media organisations on Friday, providing an opportunity to assess its contribution to the provision of quality healthcare services across the country.
Located in Mount Darwin District, Karanda Hospital has evolved from a rural mission facility into a referral centre serving patients from across Zimbabwe while continuing to cater for vulnerable communities in Mashonaland Central Province.
Hospital authorities attribute the growth to sustained investment in medical services, infrastructure and outreach programmes, which have enabled the institution to provide healthcare to thousands of patients annually.
“Karanda is a very small compact, but very powerful capable hospital; we have a 160-bed hospital it was built primarily to save the underprivileged communities here at Mount Darwin East stretching all the way to Dande. Over the years, the hospital has become known throughout the Nation of Zimbabwe, as deep as Lupane. Now, we are doing about four thousand surgical cases,” Assistant Medical Superintendent of Karanda Hospital, Dr Takudzwa Sasa, said.
The media tour allowed journalists to interact with patients and frontline healthcare workers, offering insight into the hospital’s role in delivering affordable and specialised medical services.
Beyond clinical care, the institution has expanded outreach programmes aimed at improving access to healthcare in remote communities.
“We provide hope and healing through medical care, spiritual services and therapy. We also work with the communities around the hospital as we send teams for outreach in villages providing health care. The hospital assists communities with clean water,” Karanda Hospital Chaplain, Reverend Mark, said.
Patients commended the hospital for its quality healthcare services, compassionate staff and affordable treatment.
Karanda Hospital serves a wide catchment area extending beyond Mashonaland Central Province, receiving patients from areas including Bulawayo and Chiredzi.
Hospital management said the media engagement was intended to raise awareness of the critical role mission hospitals play in complementing government efforts to provide accessible and quality healthcare services to Zimbabweans.
