HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo says they will soon be looking for a substantive chief executive officer for Harare Central Hospital following the dismissal of Dr Nyasha Masuka.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
He said this during the donation of equipment for the Harare Central Hospital. Dr Masuka barely lasted a year at the healm of the country’s biggest referral hospital under yet to be ascertained reasons. In the interim, Dr Tapiwa Bwakura is the Acting CEO as the hospital awaits a new boss.
“Harare Central Hospital is a very critical hospital and we want to make sure we have a substantive CEO very soon. Very, very soon, we will be working on that so that the hospital will be run appropriately and deliver in line with the board,” Dr Moyo said.
Mystery still surrounds the axing of Dr Masuka despite Dr Moyo stressing the issue of performance in the board, management and staff.
He challenged hospital boards to shape up their work ethic to produce tangible results of face the boot.
“We want our boards to be very effective Mr Chagonda. Your board should not be just be a board by name. But we want boards which are proactive. We want to move away from the culture of boards being there for the sake of it,” he said.
Dr Moyo added that he wishes to see diligent boards.
“We want to see boards which interrogate the whole system. Boards which are able to channel the correct information to head office. Which will be able to change the system, to turn around the system. That is what we want now.
“Gone are the days, I have to reemphasise that this is the second dispensation. We are here to work. The second republic is not here to falter. The second republic is here to work hard. The second republic is here to deliver results. So I am imploring you Dr Chagonda and your board that you have to wake up and be able to deliver,” he said.
Minister Moyo recently hinted on plans to exterminate non performing boards and management at all government health institutions.
“I know you are a very capable person. Now we want you to put all your efforts into play. Put your knowledge into correct perspective. Make your hospital tick. We want to see all your administration in the hospital very active. I am saying this now, I am looking at the Operations Director. I am looking at the director of finance. I am looking at the acting clinical director. I am looking at the Acting CEO.
“We want you to be a formidable force. We don’t want you to stay in the box. We want you to come out of the box and this is your time to come out of the box. Your leadership should bring out everyone who is still in the box. Bring them out so that they become active and innovative.”
The Health Minister said it is in tough times that separates hard workers and those that sit on their laurels.
“Innovation is what we want to see in all our health management boards. All the hospital management boards must act, act, and act instead of just being talk shows. We are tired of talk shows. We want action and results. You realise we are in a tough situation.
“I heard Dr Bwakura saying we are going through a tough economic patch this is now where you need candidates who put their country at heart. Candidates who can be able to push and propel the institutions within Zimbabwe where they are working and be able to make a difference within that confinement of toughness. This is where amadhodha sibili will come out,” he said.
He also reflected of the United Arab Emirates’ interest in upgrading the hospital.
Asked to explain why Dr Masuka left the Harare Hospital, the Health Minister referred journalists to the institution’s chairperson Dr Edward Chagonda. Dr Chagonda was vague in explaining how Dr Masuka got to leave the institution.
“I am part of (Health Service Board Chairperson) Dr Paulinus Sikhosana’s team. Dr Sikhosana made it very clear that it was a mutual agreement where someone is specifically basing on personal issues,” he said.