The first Manguzi doctor was Dr. Schwalbe. He and his wife, Maria, arrived in 1942 to begin, literally from clearing the bush and making of the cement blocks, developing the then tiny hospital. They were aided by the "fearless" Sister Nora Cookson.
It became registered as an official fifteen bed hospital in 1951.

The Schwalbe's left in 1959. Sister Erica Beaton continued as the only trained member of staff until the arrival of Dr Laufler in 1966. Dr Cliff Allwood , with his wife Anne and young son Anthony took over just before Christmas 1969.
Matron J.Conway and Sister J.Hodge joined them the following month.

At that stage the hospital had been grown to 107 beds, with general, maternity and TB wards as well as OPD and four mobile clinic points and a minor theater. There were 24 nursing staff of which twenty only had First Aid Training.

Dr Allwood set himself a grueling schedule starting with the training of Mr Henry Mabika to do basic laboratory investigations from 5:30 to 7:30 A.M., followed by ward work, administration duties and finishing off with a chapel service.
During the Allwoods tenure, a central sterilizing facility was created, oxygen cylinders and an anaesthetic machine was procured and a six month training course for nursing staff initiated. Additional clinics were set up at Phumphele, Kazambane and Mvelabusha in 1970, and an additional three the following year at Kwanxabane, Malangeni and Mshudu.
The hospital was upgraded to 148 beds.

On the 12 May 1971 Catheryn Anne Allwood was born in the hospital. Being so isolated and the attending doctor for your own wife must have been a harrowing experience.Their third child, Brian, was born in the hospital in 1974.

Access to Manguzi was still by powder soft sand road so any chance of transferring patients or receiving help was almost impossible. A Radio link was started between the neighboring hospitals of Mseleni and Bethesda which enabled the isolated doctors to have Journal club meetings over the air.

Zumat, a Christian missionary flight service and later Mr Rod Kruger provided air lift services for critical patients swooping them off to the city hospitals. Rod Kruger was later fired by the KwaZulu minister of health for not allowing his staff to attend a political party meeting during working hours.

The first two black South African sisters were employed in 1972.They were Gladness Ntuli and Eunice Dunjwa.
Gladness went on to become the hospital matron in 1989.She "retired" in 2003 but we still call her back to trouble shoot at the clinics.Mr Simon Zondo is another character to have enriched Manguzi Hospital.
He was employed as an agriculture adviser and evangelist in 1974.He continues to contribute to the hospital through provision of land and expertise for food gardens. His son, Pat, continues to work as a radiographer at the hospital. Simon was evidently a legendry tennis player with an almost un-returnable serve. He continues keeping active and is presently learning new computer skills much to the admiration and sometimes frustration of his instructor.

The Allwoods were replaced by the Drapers in 1976.Their daughter, Catherine, was delivered here a while later.
Ms Pam McLaren was the first started the Therapy department in 1973. During her time she also created Ngelandlazetu, a project aimed at training and employing disabled people. This project continues today.

Dr Det Prozesky arrived in 1982.He initiated a program of training Community Health Workers.

On 1st October 1981 the hospital was handed over to the KwaZulu Government (Health) from the Methodist Church and a month later the first residential clinic was opened (KwaNdaba Clinic)

In 1982 South Africa proposed handing over Ingwavuma District to Swaziland. This caused much political turmoil locally.

In 1983 Cyclone Demoinia struck. The hospital was cut off from the outside world with much damage being done.
In the following years new clinics were built and additions were done to the hospital

Phelandaba clinic- 1986
Zama Zama clinic - 1987
Mahlungulu clinic - 1994
Thengani (IDT) clinic - 1996
Bhekabantu (RDP) clinic - 1996
New Theatre (2003)
Paediatric Ward
Kitchen
Laundry
O.P.D.
Administration Block
Pharmacy
X-Ray
Maternity
HIV/AIDS
TB
Crisis centre
Telemedicine unit
PMTCT (under construction)

The health services expanded with more RDP Clinics, which have been opened.

Velabusha Clinic - 1998
KwaZibi Clinic - 1998
Mshudu Clinic - 1998
KwaNdaba Clinic was replaced with a new building in 2005
Mboza Clinic has been handed over to Manguzi on 01/04/2007
Maputa Clinic - construction has started and should be opened in July 2008.

Spiritual support for patients continues and the Hospital Chaplain is paid from Donation Funds. Many Community (PHC) Programs have been started such as:

School Health Services
TB
Psychiatry
HIV/AIDS
Leprosy
Community Health Based Services
Social Workers
Rehabilitation Services.
Oral health services
Eye care services

During the war years in Mozambique, many Mozambicans settled in the Manguzi area, while some returned after the cessation of hostilities. During those times it was not uncommon to treat landmine accidents at the hospital, as the health services in Mozambique had completely broken down. Manguzi is still used by people residing in the southern part of Mozambique, as the nearest Mozambican hospital is situated at Bella Vista.

Mission Statement adopted in 1996: "Under God working together with the community for a better life."

From 1990-98 there were 5 - 6 doctors with approximately 50% foreign doctors (mostly from the U.K). Crocodile bites, hippo and rhino accidents provided excitement. From 1999 onwards, Community service was started and since then the health service had a minimum of 10 doctors (maximum 17 in 2007).

Decentralization of malaria diagnosis with Rapid tests was piloted in Mahlungulu clinic in 1996, and due to the success of it rolled out to all other clinics in Umkhanyakude.

The 'Manguzi model" of PHC with supervisors, own transport fleet, stores system was developed from 1999 to 2000 and implemented with great success, without fragmenting the health service.

The annual essay competition was started in the 1990's as a way to improve health promotion, and has been provincialised in 2004 by the department's health promotion directorate. Floods were experienced in 2000/01 with water coming up to Phelandaba clinic's veranda and thousands of people displaced.

Manguzi with Mseleni got outside funding to start PMTCT programme before it was official departmental policy and created a furor in the media.

Sadly for the first time in the history of Manguzi, nursing and administrative staff joined a nationwide strike in demand of higher wages in June 2007. Fortunately it only lasted for two days and the medical and paramedical sections of the hospital rolled up their sleeves and performed other duties.

The hospital is well known for its commitment to PHC, and the integrated manner in which hospital and PHC services are rendered serves as an example of what can be achieved in the District Health System. Currently (2007) the hospital has got 264 beds, with 10 fixed residential clinics and 3 mobile clinic teams. It will be increased to 304 beds and 11 clinics in 2008.

List of Nursing Managers, Medical Superintendent and Administrators since establishment of the hospital.