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Mthabisi Tshuma, Gwanda Correspondent
PHAKAMA Isolation Centre in Gwanda is ready to admit Covid-19 patients and has two ventilators available.
The Gwanda Municipality-run facility which was built by Blanket Mine as a corporate social responsibility initiative has opened its doors for moderate and severe patients but was yet to accommodate its first patient as of yesterday afternoon.
The 22-bed centre is the only moderate and severe patients’ facility in Gwanda town. Mild cases are treated at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
Phakama Isolation Centre comes at a time a rise of infections and deaths has been experienced in the province after the December festivities.
A number of prominent people in the mining town have succumbed to the disease in past weeks.
The country as of Wednesday recorded 300 Covid-19 cases and 19 deaths bringing the total cumulative cases to 32 304 with 23 687 recoveries and 1 122 deaths since the outbreak of the virus last year in March.
Speaking on the sidelines of a media tour of the facility at Phakama suburb, Gwanda town clerk Ms Priscilla Nkala said after the handover from the gold mining company late last year, they had to employ health personnel.
She said the isolation centre has since been turned into a service centre due to its equipment capabilities.
“As a municipality, we are so enthusiastic that we have such an institution. The site is now a service centre not just an isolation centre.
“This is due to the fact that it will be attending specifically to moderate and severe patients,” said Ms Nkala.
“We have received two ventilators which upon handover of the site were yet to be delivered and we are ready to be operational anytime as issues that needed to be addressed, for example securing staff have been addressed after we were cleared by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.”
Gwanda Mayor Councillor Njabulo Siziba said the structure would buttress the gold rich mining town’s drive to be bestowed city status as the capital of Matabeleland South Province.
“As municipality we are grateful for the gesture and looking forward to be bestowed city status. Such infrastructure is an achievement towards the mark.
“After Covid-19, these facilities will be of paramount importance for generations to come and looking at the state of health facilities in the town, this is a great boost,” said Clr Siziba.
He urged members of the public to observe the lockdown and health regulations. Of late, Gwanda residents have defied the call to stay at home.
“We understand as a community that being content is far fetched but we have to fight this together and this can be done through following health regulations.
“Please take responsibility, life is ours and preserving our lives is our duty,” said Clr Siziba. — @mthabisi_mthire
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