Harare Zimbabwe, 3 July 2014: WR Zimbabwe, Dr David Okello handed back some Parirenyatwa Annex Offices to Parirenyatwa Hospital. The offices on the ground floor of the Annex building were now vacant since the move of the Zimbabwe Country Office and IST/ESA to the Highlands complex.

Speaking at the handover of the keys to the ground floor of the annex building to Dr Dhlakama acting Permanent Secretary for  Health and Child Care, and Mr Mundenda, Director of Operations for Parirenyatwa Hospital, Dr Okello expressed gratitude to the Government of Zimbabwe for accommodating  the WHO Regional Office (AFRO) following an evacuation order for all UN personnel from Brazzaville issued  by the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS.) “AFRO was part of those affected when UNDSS issued an evacuation order following a deterioration of the security situation in Brazzaville, and Zimbabwe welcomed us, and as WHO we are grateful for the hospitality,” said Dr Okello. He said the WHO Director General, Dr Margaret Chan, and the Regional Director Dr Luis Gomes    Sambo express their gratitude to the government of Zimbabwe for  their hospitality, and asked Dr  Dhlakama, acting Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care to convey WHO’s gratitude to the highest level in Government.

In his statement, Dr Dhlakama acknowledged the good working relationship that exists between WHO and the Ministry of Health and Child Care. He said the Ministry had a lot to thank WHO for because they benefitted from having them closer.  He particularly mentioned the cholera outbreak of 2009 and said many lives were saved because of WHO’s presence in the annex building. “Because you were here and operationalized the cholera command and control center (C4) in response to the outbreak, many lives were saved, so we are also grateful for your being here,” said Dr Dhlakama.

Mr Mundenda, the Director of Operations for Parirenyatwa Hospital thanked Dr Okello for handing back the unused office space. He said the hospital has plans to use the office space as a training school  for either the School of Radiography or Midwifery. He particularly thanked WHO for sprucing up the offices before handing them back. The offices received a fresh coat of paint and had some old wooden floors replaced.

The Government of Zimbabwe offered to house  WHO/AFRO in 1997 after they were evacuated from Brazzaville, and availed office space in the main Parirenyatwa Hospital, blocks B and C, and the Parirenyatwa Hospital Annex. After the return of AFRO to Brazzaville, offices in block B and C were handed back to the hospital, but the Annex offices were used by the Zimbabwe Country office,  until their move to the Highlands complex.