Addressing guests at the naming ceremony, Makonese reflected on their 54-year relationship and recalled how his wife’s commitment to medicine extended beyond conventional working hours, including a Christmas Day when she travelled 60 kilometres to check whether any patients needed her attention.
“Seeing this state-of-the-art medical centre in Madeline’s name is a tribute that touches our hearts beyond measure,” he remarked, expressing gratitude to Cimas’ leadership and everyone involved in bringing the facility to fruition.
For the Makonese family, the centre represents more than modern infrastructure and medical equipment. It embodies the compassion, professional commitment and service that characterised Dr Nyamwanza-Makonese’s career.
After years of service in Government and with the City of Harare, she took the bold step of establishing her own private medical practice, continuing to serve patients with a dedication that her husband remembers vividly.
Recalling their first Christmas after she opened the practice, Makonese described how he noticed his wife preparing to leave home as though it were an ordinary working day.
He initially assumed she had forgotten the holiday, but she calmly explained that she intended to visit her surgery in case a patient was waiting for medical assistance.
The couple lived 30 kilometres away, meaning the journey involved a 60-kilometre round trip.
“When she returned home later that day, I asked her, with a bit of husbandly scepticism, if the 60-kilometre round trip on Christmas Day had been worth it,” he recounted.
At the time, a child’s consultation cost US$1, while an adult paid US$5.
The memory illustrated the personal sacrifices behind her medical practice and her determination to remain available to patients who needed help, even on a public holiday.
Makonese’s tribute came as Cimas recognised Dr Nyamwanza-Makonese’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s medical profession through the naming of the Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese Medical Centre.
Her professional journey was marked by a historic breakthrough in 1970, when she became Zimbabwe’s first Black female medical doctor and the first African woman to graduate from the medical school, according to the address delivered on behalf of the Minister of Health and Child Care.
As the only woman in a class of 25, she navigated racial and gender barriers at a time when opportunities in the medical profession were severely constrained.
Her contribution extended beyond her personal achievement to include maternal and child health, advocacy for women’s education and health equity, and the mentorship of younger professionals.
Government recognised her contribution through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Commendation Award for Service in Human Capital Development in August 2025.
For her family, Cimas’ decision to associate her name with a healthcare institution represents a continuation of the work to which she devoted her life.
“Knowing that her name will forever be associated with an institution dedicated to healing, innovation and quality patient care fills our family with immense pride,” Makonese remarked.
He expressed hope that the facility would uphold the standards of care and personal attention that defined his wife’s approach to medicine.
“Our prayer and hope for this centre is that every person who walks through these doors, whether seeking treatment, comfort, or routine care, will experience not only world-class medical expertise, but also the warmth, dignity, and compassion that Dr Madeline Nyamwanza-Makonese represents,” he added.
His message placed the responsibility for preserving her legacy on the institution and its healthcare professionals, whose daily work will determine how patients experience the centre.
The naming ceremony also brought into focus the wider role of Cimas Health Group in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, particularly its investment in integrated services, specialist training and improved access to medical care.
Cimas chief executive officer Vuli Ndlovu told the gathering that healthcare institutions needed to place patients and clinical outcomes at the centre of their operations, warning that buildings alone could not deliver healing without qualified and supported professionals.
The government, represented at the ceremony by the Chief Medical Officer at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital head Dr Hopewell Mungani of Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, also called for a more integrated and equitable health system built through cooperation between public and private stakeholders.
Makonese thanked the Minister of Health and Child Care for the representation at the ceremony and expressed appreciation for the honour extended to his family.
As the family prepared to tour the newly named centre, he voiced confidence that the facility would make a meaningful contribution to patients and communities in the years ahead.
He concluded with a prayer for the centre, its staff and all those who would seek medical assistance there.
“May God richly bless this facility, its staff, and all who seek care within these walls,” he said.
For the Makonese family, the centre’s new name is a very humbling special recognition of a pioneering career and a reminder that Dr Nyamwanza-Makonese’s commitment to patients must continue through the care delivered to future generations.
