Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
GOVERNMENT’S drive to harness diaspora investment for national development is yielding tangible results, with a Canada-based Zimbabwean investing in a state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Harare to expand access to quality medical services and complement the public health system.
The new medical centre, established in the Westgate suburb, is expected to improve access to healthcare by reducing referral distances while providing maternal, paediatric, dental and emergency services.
After spending 23 years in Canada, internationally trained nurse Mrs Memory Majoni returned home to establish the specialised healthcare facility, saying the investment was inspired by a desire to contribute to national development.
“I am an internationally trained nurse who stayed outside the country for 23 years, and I decided to come back to my country and establish a hospital. I thought it necessary to compliment our government. We do have our public hospitals that are doing tremendously well, and we thank God for that, but I thought maybe by adding another hospital in the community, it would save people from travelling far as we build our country. This was just my dream. To just help my country and help the community,” she said.
“We serve our community through maternal, paediatric, dental, and emergency services. We also do community outreach programmes for free,” Sister in Charge Mrs Selina Mafukidze said.
Zanu-PF Central Committee member and Youth League National Secretary for Health and Child Care, Cde Lucky Gapa, commended the investment as an example of public-private collaboration.
His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa always say the country is built by its own people, and this is a reflection of our president’s words. Investments by diaspora-based nationals also show confidence in the country’s leadership, so it’s a welcome initiative,” he said.
Community members welcomed the initiative.
“We are very happy because we can access health services at the doorstep, no need to go to town or another place,” a resident said.
“People are heeding the call by our President to build the country, and this is commendable. We really appreciate as community members,” a community member said.
These returnee-led medical investments are successfully bringing much-needed care and specialised treatments directly to underserved populations across the country.
The path to universal healthcare is no longer a single actor story. It is increasingly becoming a shared mission, one where modern private facilities complement public systems.
