Kadoma- PROMINENT Kadoma-based businessman and philanthropist Jimayi Muduvuri has complemented government effforts in improving the health delivery system through construction of 10 clinics across the country where the disabled and war veterans will receive free treatment.
The gesture is in honour of the financial support he got from President Mnangagwa back in 2006 after he was seriously injured following a horror road traffic accident.
Muduvuri said in the future, he would be keen to construct similar clinics and hospitals across the continent. He says the construction of the hospitals was a way of thanking President Mnangagwa who financially assisted him to seek treatment after he was involved in a horror accident.
In a recent interview at his Pan African Referral Hospital in Kadoma, Mr Muduvuri said he had a nasty accident and was assisted by President Mnangagwa to get treatment.
“It was in 2006 when I had gone to the bank to borrow money so I could get treatment for my broken legs after the accident. Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri then heard that I was at the bank to borrow money for treatment and she got very angry and asked why I was not talking about such challenges.
“Within five minutes, I received a call from Honourable Mnangagwa (who is now the President) he asked me why I was at that bank and I told him that I was looking for a loan because my legs were getting worse.
“He ordered me to go away from that parking lot and after about five minutes, he had sent some money for my treatment in South Africa.”
Mr Muduvuri said a medical doctor had given up and asked me to accept amputation.
“I asked how I was to return his personal money, but I was just ordered to go to South Africa for treatment.
“I went home and decided to use that money for my business first and later use the profit, and during that hour, I just heard my son saying there were many cars outside our house, and immediately, Honourable Mnangagwa and his wife entered.
“He was so troubled about why I was quiet when my legs were badly injured. He then gave me just one day to prepare to go to South Africa,” explained Mr Muduvuri.
Once in South Africa, about 13 doctors including three Zimbabwean and one Indian, examined him and asked for amputation again.
Later, the doctors said they could treat, and not amputate him. When he returned home after the treatment, he said he informed President Mnangagwa about what transpired in South Africa and that he was feeling much better.
“He was visibly excited and said “welcome back home.” That was in 2009. By 2013, I went back to South Africa after the legs started to trouble me.
“Luckily, there was still my change at that hospital and by 2018, this balance was over but they did not tell me in advance. However, they just ordered me to come back because my legs had gone bad again.
“I went and they took me to the theatre but doctors did not come until 2pm, and these nurses later ordered me to go out saying doctors had failed to come because the balance had been finished. My aid then advised me to call the person who helped me first but I told him that this man is now the President of Zimbabwe, so I do not think he is now reachable.
“He persuaded me many times to try, and I then lifted my phone for more than three times, doubting that he would answer my call and if he still had my number,” he said.
Mr Muduvuri said he then gathered the courage to call, and “he straight away answered, asking me why I was using a South African number”. “I told him that I was in South Africa for treatment but my bill was too much, and my balance was over, and R586 000 was needed.
“President Mnangagwa asked how much it was in US dollars, and he then cut the call. In five to 10 minutes, I received a call asking for my whereabouts, they arrived and told me that President had asked us to pay your total medical bill and I was shocked and asked them to pay R86 000 only, before I transferred to another hospital since I felt that this other hospital had prioritised money and not treating me. I called them and paid the cost and I was treated there at the new hospital.
“After about six months in 2018, I came back and worked harder, loaded this bag with money and went back to President Mnangagwa. “I arrived and told him that I had brought part of his money and he asked me to first give him the paper where we signed that I was to pay back.
“He then said he was merely helping me and not extending a loan, before ordering me to get out of his office because he had many visitors waiting to see him,” said Mr Muduvuri.
Stunned by the President’s gesture of supporting him, Mr Muduvuri says he then resolved to help other people with similar challenges, hence the resolve to set up the Pan-African free treatment hospital.
“So, I am building full treatment hospitals in all ten provinces of Zimbabwe. The first one is the Muduvuri Pan-African Referral Hospital which was officially unveiled by President Mnangagwa on the occasion of the commissioning of the Sekuru Mafidhi and Mbuya Mhurai Mnangagwa male and female medical and surgical wards on 14th April 2023 here in Kadoma. We have already finished many clinics, namely Muduvuri Pan African Chivi Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Nembudziya Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Lupane Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Gwanda Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Chipinge Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Chirape-Nembudziya Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Gokwe Centre Clinic, Muduvuri Pan African Bindura Clinic and Muduvuri Pan African Marondera Clinic, all these referring to the Kadoma referral hospital.
“My dream is to cascade these Pan African health centres to all African States, hence the name Pan African free medication for all physically changed persons in Africa.
“No matter the type of physical disability you have, be it visual impairments, hearing challenges or any other, you must use these facilities free of charge,” he said.
Hospital administrator, Mr Nelson Maminimini said, the Muduvuri Pan African Referral Hospital will be opening the Auxillia Mnangagwa Nurse Training School in 2024.
“It will be training State registered and primary care nurses, possibly including physiotherapists and laboratory technicians again,” he said.
This spacious referral African hospital is divided into many wards and medical units named after African liberators and President Mnangagwa’s parents.
For example, the male ward is called Sekuru Mafidhi Mnangagwa, while the female ward is called Mbuya Mhurai Mnangagwa.
Other departments include the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Theatre Department, Mbuya Lear Muduvuri Mental Rehabilitation Centre after Mr Muduvuri’s mother.
The others were named after Mao Tse Tung and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
