The Avenues Clinic has completed a major refurbishment of its maternity ward and critical care units as part of an ongoing, hospital-wide upgrade aimed at aligning its infrastructure with global clinical standards.
During a tour of the revamped facilities on Friday, general manager Mrs Sibusisiwe Ndhlovu said the improvements form part of a broader strategy to modernise the hospital while preserving its brand identity and patient-centred approach.
“We have done our medical ward, which is on the first floor. On the second floor, we have refurbished our private ward as well as our operating theatres and guiding room,” she said.
“Now we are on the third floor, which is our maternity ward, and just across is our ICU and high-dependency unit.”
Mrs Ndhlovu said the goal of the refurbishment was to ensure that the hospital’s physical infrastructure reflects the high standard of care already delivered by its clinicians and nursing teams.
“We are happy with our clinicians and our clinical and nursing staff in terms of the care they are giving to our patients. What was left for us was to match that standard of clinical care with the infrastructure,” she said.
She added that the upgrades were also driven by patient feedback — particularly from maternity patients who expressed a preference for private rooms after delivery.
“After we opened Tucson Private downstairs, most mothers, after giving birth, wanted to go to private wards,” she said.
“However, that private ward was already catering for surgical, medical and other patients, and we were not able to meet the demand.”
The newly refurbished maternity ward has been divided into two sections to accommodate varying preferences and budgets. The right wing features seven private beds for mothers seeking privacy, while the left wing offers eight twin-sharing beds.
“We want to believe that it caters for all tastes and for all pockets,” said Mrs Ndhlovu.
Located behind the maternity section is the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which she described as a “miracle-making machine” because of its clinical outcomes.
“We are proud of this unit because of the outcomes we get here. Even babies as young as 26 weeks who are born prematurely have come into this ward and gone home after being taken care of,” she said.
The NICU has been expanded by four additional beds to meet rising demand. Mrs Ndhlovu noted that the unit not only serves babies born at The Avenues Clinic but also receives referrals from health institutions across the country.
“We still find that babies from other facilities are referred here when they require NICU services. We would like to cater for everyone — our own inpatients as well as those who may have delivered elsewhere but require the best neonatal care,” she said.
Chief Financial Officer Mr Peddy Chigunduru revealed that nearly US$4 million has been invested in infrastructure renewal and the acquisition of advanced medical equipment. Of this amount, approximately US$2.5 million was directed towards specialised clinical technology, including neonatal equipment.
“In terms of deployment of capital, we are purposefully directing investment to the most impactful areas of the hospital. The infrastructure must align with the level of service we intend to provide,” he said.
Hospital executives said the refurbishment programme will continue as the institution strengthens its position as a regional referral centre capable of delivering advanced maternal, neonatal and critical care services locally, reducing the need for external referrals.
