MARTIN MAWAYA
SHURUGWI–Chengetai Chenxi Investment, has injected over $30,000 to rehabilitate the dilapidated mortuary and upgrade the maternity ward at the Shurugwi District Hospital as part of its corporate social responsibility.
The refurbishment and upgrading of the mortuary, along with equipping the maternity ward, will bring relief to bereaved families and expecting mothers in the district.
Currently, the hospital has a small mortuary that can only accommodate three bodies, and the maternity ward does not have sufficient equipment.
Following the renovation, the hospital’s body holding capacity will increase to 12, as the refurbished section will accommodate nine bodies.
“We donated this money after intense engagement with the stakeholders about the challenges facing the district hospital, and the maternity and mortuary came as a top priority,” said Chengetai Chenxi Investment general manager, Simon Karimanzira.
“We are committed to ensuring that women have the right to give birth in a supportive environment. That’s why we are investing in resources for maternity ward beds and dignified end-of-life services. It’s about respecting the full spectrum of the human experience, from birth to death,” he noted.
He said the US$20,000 allocated for the mortuary refurbishment and the $10,000 for the maternity ward equipment are part of the mining company’s broader corporate social responsibility initiatives in the Shurugwi district.
Last year, the mining firm initiated several projects in the district and the province like roads resurfacing, infrastructure upgrades at Shurugwi Female Prison and Connemara Prison, provision of drought relief, rehabilitation of sporting facilities as well as the poultry and goat farming project at Vugwi Primary School.
Earlier this year, they installed two solar-powered boreholes in Ward 4 to support smallholder farmer activities on one-hectare plots, among other initiatives at Musasa and Selukwe Primary Schools.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the government, Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube praised the company’s community engagement approach, stating that it aligns with the Second Republic’s demand-driven service delivery framework.
He noted that the donation will address the challenges of inadequate mortuary space and improve maternal and perinatal care.
“The upgraded maternity wing will minimize maternal and perinatal mortality through specialized care for pregnant women, newborns, and nursing mothers,” added Minister Ncube.
Shurugwi North legislator Joseph Mpasi commended Chengetai Chenxi Investment for supporting health service delivery and urged other mining companies in the district to emulate this gesture by prioritizing corporate social responsibility in their areas of operation.
