Japan Invest $2.7 Million Into Harare Children’s Hospital

Japan’s assistance to Harare Children’s Hospital dates back to 1998, when the hospital was constructed and equipped through grant aid provided by Japan and Canada

HARARE, Zimbabwe, Japan will be assisting Harare Children’s Hospital with a comprehensive range of medical and hospital equipment to ensure a high standard of health service delivery for both children and mothers. On 29 January 2020, Ambassador Iwado and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, the Hon. Professor Mthuli Ncube signed agreements to this effect. The value of the new equipment is around US$ 2.7 million.

Japan’s assistance to Harare Children’s Hospital dates back to 1998 when the hospital was constructed and equipped through grant aid provided by Japan and Canada. It comprised an intensive care unit, neonatal unit, outpatients and casualty departments, and an administration block. It is the largest hospital for children in Zimbabwe, with a total bed capacity of 350, and an average of 10 000 children admitted annually. A further 45 000 children receive services as outpatients. 

Japan has continued to provide assistance to the hospital over the years, and JICA is currently providing technical assistance to the hospital staff through the 5S-Kaizen-TQM project. This project uses a Japanese organizational approach to greatly improve hospital management and ensure a high quality of services by involving all hospital staff. 

One of Japan’s development priorities is promotion of the improvement of the public health system, especially for children and women

Unfortunately, the deterioration in the economic situation over the past two decades has resulted in a decline of health delivery standards at the hospital, with the result that it has been in need of refurbishment and upgrading of its medical equipment. 

The medical and hospital equipment provided through this grant will include, among others, X-ray systems, bedside ICU and CCU monitors, an ultrasound scope, emergency ventilators, operation and examination equipment, as well as beds, cots, and operation and examination tables. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Iwado, said he hoped that, with the new equipment as well as improvement of the hospital’s management through the 5S-KaizenTQM project, the quality of health service delivery provided by the hospital to the public would greatly improve, thus ensuring the health of both mothers and children. Given Japan’s long support for the hospital, he said that Japan wished to ensure that it would regain its status as a pediatric centre of excellence. 

Hon. Minister Ncube thanked Japan for its continuous support to Harare Children’s Hospital. The CEO of Harare Hospital, Dr. Tinashe Dhobbie, said the new equipment would allow the hospital to further increase its capacity. 

One of Japan’s development priorities is the promotion of the improvement of the public health system, especially for children and women. Japan’s grant aid provides a country with non-reimbursable funds to procure the facilities, equipment and services to fulfil basic human needs and contribute to the economic and social development of the country. Since it is not accompanied by an obligation for repayment, grant aid is extremely advantageous for the recipient country and does not cause any financial burden.