HARARE - President Robert Mugabe yesterday heaped praises on Harare Hospital staff that separated two conjoined twins.
Mugabe visited the twin brothers Kupakwashe and Tapiwanaishe Chitiyo as Zimbabwe secured an $89 million health loan facility from China’s Exim Bank.
He described the operation on the Siamese twins, led by paediatric surgeon Bothwell Mbuwayesango, as a source of national pride.
“You have done us real proud, the world will be talking about us,” Mugabe said. “Some will not believe because they just do not want to believe it but the rest of the world will believe because Zimbabweans, wherever they are , are known to be best performers.
“It doesn’t matter where they are, our people distinguish themselves but this distinction now right here in the heart of Zimbabwe, in this God-given hospital is something unbelievable. That’s why I call it a mystery.”
Mugabe, who regularly receives specialist treatment in Singapore, added: “Take what has happened here outside from the children’s hospital into the world.”
He said he would invite the team to State House.
Earlier, David Parirenyatwa, the minister of Health and Child Care, revealed that government had secured a special loan from China to be channelled towards revitalising the country’s underfunded health sector.
“Five main areas critical to health are human resources, transport and communication, finance, disease burden and infrastructure, including equipment, so His Excellency saw it fit that we get a loan,” Parirenyatwa said. “We then got $89 million and that money used well, will go a long way.”
Christopher Tapfumaneyi, principal director for curative services, said the loan facility covers 70 percent of the ministry’s equipment requirements.
“The theatres, new incubators laboratories are now completely different,” he said. “The equipment is being installed as we speak. Big things are coming.”
Mugabe said treasury should prioritise the health sector and should unfreeze posts in the health sector.
“We were talking about it the other day, I was saying we should not freeze any posts at all in health,” he said.
The president said education and health should be treasury’s top priority.
“Defence yes, but hupenyu hwevanhu hwakakosha kupfuura zvese izvi (but people’s lives trump everything else),” Mugabe said.
First Lady Grace Mugabe gave the twins clothes, soaps, baby oils, diapers and baby milk.