COVER FEATURE
“ WE AVOID BEING OVERLY CORPORATE,” HE SAID.“ EVERY PATIENT IS KNOWN BY NAME. WE INVEST IN OUR STAFF, RETAIN OUR NURSES, AND PROVIDE A SAFE, FULLY EQUIPPED ENVIRONMENT. a flight surgeon and opening South Africa’ s first private trauma centre at Arwyp Hospital in Kempton Park. Over five years, he expanded to creating more than 15 trauma centres across South Africa and Zimbabwe. During this period, he also coordinated countrywide emergency services for MTN’ s 112-emergency line, dispatching ambulances and helicopters through a central control room.
In 1996, Dr Solanki opened Zimbabwe’ s first private trauma centre, laying the foundation for the more than 80 emergency services operating today. In 2014, he established Trauma Centre Borrowdale & Critical Care Hospital in Harare, which has become a flagship institution for emergency care, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, maternity, paediatrics, and specialised procedures. Two years ago, the Centre opened Zimbabwe’ s first cath lab, and in the latter half of last year it launched the nation’ s first private open-heart service, marking historic milestones in cardiac care.
Few figures have shaped Zimbabwe’ s modern medical landscape like Dr Vivek Solanki. A pioneer of emergency medicine and advanced trauma care, he has spent decades building systems that save lives and elevate national standards. His work comes at a pivotal moment when Zimbabwe was recently recognised by Forbes as Africa’ s preferred tourist destination, a milestone that amplifies the country’ s growing reputation for safety, hospitality, and excellence. Against this backdrop, Dr Solanki’ s contributions stand as both medical achievements and national assets, strengthening Zimbabwe’ s regional and global competitiveness.
In 1988, he moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa as a young doctor, quickly rising to become
Under Dr Solanki’ s leadership, the hospital continues to redefine medical excellence in Zimbabwe and the region. Trauma Centre Borrowdale combines advanced AI integration, international clinical protocols, and a team of Zimbabwean super-specialists trained abroad. Beyond clinical care, the hospital supports medical tourism, attracting patients from across Africa and Europe, and provides comprehensive training programmes for medical students and nurse aides, helping build the country’ s healthcare capacity for the future.
Dr Solanki’ s career reflects a lifelong commitment to patient-centric care, innovation, and national impact – proving that healthcare excellence can be a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’ s global reputation.
“ These advancements are not only milestones for Zimbabwe but for the entire region,” said
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