Mpilo Central Hospital, located in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), has invited private partners to deliver a number of new buildings through a public private partnership.

The hospital is offering an opportunity for investors to set up a pharmacy department, complete construction of a mortuary, establish a funeral parlour, set up a bigger and modern laboratory and X-Ray and Renal Unit departments.

The total project investment is estimated at about US$15 million.

Laurence Mantiziba, Mpilo Hospital chief executive officer (CEO), stated:

Over US$15 million is needed to restore the hospital to its former position and this can be raised through joint ventures. Already, we now have a joint venture between Mpilo and Corporate24 in which the latter shall develop two private wards at the hospital.

The project will follow the joint venture that Chitungwiza Hospital, also in Zimbabwe, made with private companies. Service delivery was vastly improved and state-of-the-art equipment was brought to the hospital. The result was that Chitungwiza became the first public hospital in southern Africa to achieve ISO certification.

Mpilo Central Hospital, more commonly known as Mpilo Hospital, is the largest hospital in Bulawayo, and third largest in Zimbabwe after Harare Hospital and Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. Mpilo is a public hospital, and referral centre for the Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces of Zimbabwe.