Adlam House at Parirenyatwa
By Staff Reporter
HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to officially open the refurbished Adlam House nurses’ residence at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Friday, marking a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of Zimbabwe’s largest referral hospital.
The reopening of the nurses’ residence comes as government intensifies efforts to modernise public health infrastructure following years of deterioration at the institution caused by ageing facilities, underinvestment and increasing pressure on the healthcare system.
The rehabilitation works at Adlam House and the upgrading of the Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Ward were undertaken by Prevail International Group as part of a broader phased refurbishment programme at Parirenyatwa.
The Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Ward is also expected to be officially opened in the coming weeks as authorities move to restore critical healthcare services and improve conditions for both patients and medical personnel.
The latest developments are being viewed as a significant turnaround for a hospital that had, over the years, become emblematic of the wider challenges confronting Zimbabwe’s public health sector.
Earlier this year, Treasury officials revealed that the Adlam House residence had deteriorated to the extent that only a fraction of its accommodation capacity was usable, negatively affecting the welfare and training environment for student nurses.
The refurbishment programme has since transformed the facility through extensive upgrades that include improved accommodation infrastructure, a dedicated water supply system supported by newly drilled boreholes and water storage facilities, as well as solar backup power aimed at reducing disruptions caused by electricity shortages.
Authorities also undertook major rehabilitation works at the Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Ward, including plumbing repairs, replacement of old flooring and ceilings, and improvements to patient reception areas, nurseries and infection control systems in a facility that handles thousands of deliveries annually.
The ongoing works form part of a wider government health infrastructure modernisation drive being implemented under the National Development Strategy frameworks, with similar projects under way at other major public health institutions across the country.
The Parirenyatwa rehabilitation programme gained urgency after Mnangagwa conducted an unannounced visit to the hospital last year and expressed concern over the deteriorating state of the institution, directing authorities to accelerate refurbishment efforts.
Government officials have since described the project as a key step towards restoring confidence in public healthcare delivery and ensuring citizens have access to modern, dignified and properly equipped medical facilities.
Beyond the nurses’ residence and maternity wing, authorities say rehabilitation efforts will eventually extend to the hospital’s main infrastructure, including the 1 400-bed main hospital block and several other departments within the Parirenyatwa complex.
