By Staff Reporter
Harare – Major renovations are underway at the Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Ward and the ‘Adlum House’ student nurses’ residence at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH), with the nurses’ residence set to reopen in early September.
The project, led by Prevail International, a development firm headed by Presidential advisor Paul Tungwarara, aims to modernise the dilapidated healthcare facilities, addressing long-standing infrastructure challenges.
Speaking to journalists recently, Prevail International’s projects manager, Vanessa Butao, confirmed that 356 rooms at Adlum House are undergoing a complete overhaul. Modern restrooms have been added to each floor to accommodate the residence’s capacity of 353 student nurses.
“We have completed electrical and plumbing works to address persistent issues like leakages and non-functional bathrooms. We have added four additional bathrooms per floor to cater for the students. Previously, due to the poor state of the plumbing and water supply, only 40 students could be housed. We have also drilled eight boreholes to supply both Adlum House and the nursing residence, backed by a 30,000-litre water reserve to ensure a reliable water supply,” Butao said.
She added that a swimming pool has been refurbished for recreational purposes, enhancing the living conditions for student nurses who form the backbone of Zimbabwe’s future healthcare system.
To tackle chronic power outages, Prevail International has installed 200 solar panels on Adlum House, ensuring a stable electricity supply for lighting, hot water, and security systems. “We are redesigning the entire facility to meet modern standards. These upgrades go beyond cosmetics—they support the wellbeing, efficiency, and dignity of our student nurses,” Butao noted.
Prevail’s communications officer, Tariro Dondo, said the company plans to replicate similar initiatives at rural health facilities across Zimbabwe. “As Prevail, we align with the President’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind. Our goal is to extend these transformative projects to other health facilities nationwide,” she said.
The renovations come at a critical time for Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector, which has faced years of underfunding, infrastructure decay, and brain drain due to economic challenges. Parirenyatwa Hospital, the country’s largest referral hospital, has struggled with outdated facilities, unreliable water and power supplies, and overcrowding, impacting service delivery and training conditions for medical staff.
The Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Ward and Adlum House upgrades are expected to enhance maternal healthcare and provide a conducive environment for training nurses, addressing critical gaps in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system amid ongoing economic recovery efforts.