By Judith Matanire
Cimas Health Group has renamed its Van Praagh Medical Centre in Milton Park after pioneering physician Dr Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese, honouring her historic contribution to Zimbabwe’s medical profession and efforts to advance healthcare.
The facility was officially renamed the Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese Medical Centre at a ceremony in Harare on Friday, October 23, attended by healthcare professionals, government representatives and civic leaders.
Nyamwanza-Makonese made history in 1970 when she became Zimbabwe’s first Black female medical doctor and the first African woman to graduate from her medical school. She was the only woman in a class of 25, breaking racial and gender barriers in a profession that offered limited opportunities to Black women at the time.
Her career included contributions to maternal and child health, advocacy for women’s education and equitable healthcare, and mentorship of younger medical professionals.
Speaking on behalf of Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora, Sally Mugabe Central Hospital chief executive officer Dr Hopewell Mungani said the renaming recognised a legacy built on professional excellence, service and the determination to create opportunities for others.
He said the significance of the honour would ultimately depend on whether the medical centre upheld the values associated with Nyamwanza-Makonese’s career.
“The greatest tribute to her legacy will not be the name above this entrance, but the quality of care delivered within these walls,” Mungani said.
He called on the institution to ensure that patients received professional, compassionate and dignified treatment.
The Government recognised Nyamwanza-Makonese’s contribution in August 2025 through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Commendation Award for Service in Human Capital Development.
The renaming comes as Zimbabwe seeks to improve healthcare access, affordability and quality under its National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030 development agenda.
Mungani said achieving these objectives required stronger cooperation between the Government, private healthcare providers, medical aid societies and other stakeholders.
He said the country’s healthcare system needed to expand access to services while ensuring that patients were not disadvantaged by their financial circumstances.
According to Mungani, collaboration between institutions should be guided by mutual respect, evidence-based decisions and a shared commitment to better patient outcomes.
He also urged healthcare providers and medical aid societies to resolve disputes over tariffs, co-payments and settlements through dialogue and transparent negotiations.
“The patient must never become the casualty of disputes between institutions that should be working together,” he said.
Mungani said partnerships with the private sector would remain important in expanding healthcare delivery, strengthening health financing, improving diagnostic services and mobilising investment.
He added that the Government’s efforts towards Universal Health Coverage and National Health Insurance required input from healthcare providers, funders, health professionals, academics and communities.
Such reforms, he said, should reflect Zimbabwe’s economic realities while ensuring that access to quality healthcare was not determined solely by a person’s ability to pay.
Mungani said Nyamwanza-Makonese’s achievements demonstrated how individuals could challenge established limitations and create opportunities for future generations.
He urged healthcare institutions to embrace innovation, share expertise and prioritise the national interest over institutional competition.
He commended Cimas Health Group for recognising Nyamwanza-Makonese’s contribution, saying the facility should serve as a reminder of the importance of excellence, equitable healthcare and patient-centred service.
The renaming places the pioneering doctor’s name at the centre of a healthcare institution at a time when Zimbabwe continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening its health system.
For the Government, the occasion also served as a call for healthcare stakeholders to translate the values associated with her legacy into tangible improvements in service delivery.
Mungani formally recognised the renaming of the Cimas Van Praagh Medical Centre as the Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese Medical Centre on behalf of the Health and Child Care Minister.
