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Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT will work on revamping and retooling Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in line with international standards, Vice President Dr Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga has said.
In his address to health workers at the hospital last weekend, VP Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, said facilities at the hospital are sub-standard.
“I have been given a full and detailed report on the state of this hospital. Although it is a provincial hospital, there are a number of things which are not in place to qualify it as one,” he said.
“We are going to do our best to make sure Manicaland Province has a proper provincial hospital. We will address this with urgency and speed . . . we are going to replace old equipment with new equipment to ensure quality health care. I am aware that the 260-bedded Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital is not a purpose built hospital, but a general hospital that was granted a provincial hospital status.
“But despite the infrastructure constraints, the hospital has continued to provide tertiary health services to the population of Manicaland. The hospital provides specialist services. It provides training to nurses and doctors in general surgery. The laboratory is one of the six ISO certified laboratories in the country and the first provincial hospital to perform HIV viral load and Covid-19 tests in the country.
“Government will fully equip the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital Covid-19 isolation ward, the Intensive Care Unit and expand the piped oxygen to the whole hospital.
“A maternal and paediatric standalone unit with a fully-fledged intensive care unit psychiatric unit, ophthalmology unit, Natpharm regional warehouse and purpose built school of nursing will be constructed at this provincial hospital.
“Government has already installed the 10 000kg gas tank to supply oxygen at this hospital and will install smaller tanks at all district hospitals,” he said.
VP Chiwenga also said ambulance services need to be upgraded while the welfare of healthcare staff needs to be urgently looked at.
“My ministry has embarked on a programme to expand ambulance services to include air transport.
“There is also need to constantly look at the welfare of health staff and improve their working conditions. Government will construct flats to accommodate health care workers, build staff canteens and buy buses to transport healthcare staff. I know what you have gone through and we are addressing those things.”
VP Chiwenga said Government appreciates the efforts of health workers in the fight against Covid-19.
He said a bright future lies ahead of them.
However, the Vice President also said vaccination against Covid-19 is slow in the Mutare, which is a cause of concern considering that it is a border city.
“Mutare is a border city just like Beitbridge,
Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Kariba, Nyamapanda and Chirundu, but the numbers here are still low compared to the ones we are expecting for the city to achieve herd immunity.
“We need to see the vaccination figures rising to over 100 000. We are looking at 126 000 vaccinated people here in the City of Mutare.
“I would like the leadership here in Manicaland, Mutarein particular,to educate the general populace on the importance of this vaccination programme. It will not do us any good to read too much into what goes on the social media; to read too much into debates which don’t protect us. Every soul lost means a lot to Zimbabwe.
“We want everyone to be protected. It is our duty, all of us, to make sure that we educate the citizenry here. Mutare is the biggest border city and Government has embarked on mass vaccinations on all eligible cadres above 18 years. May I encourage all of us to get vaccinated,” he said.
Earlier on, VP Chiwenga had visited Nyanga District Hospital where he was impressed by the general upkeep of the hospital.
VP Chiwenga said Government will assist in the completion of the hospital’s isolation centre as well as provide an ambulance.
Meanwhile, Biriiri has been identified as the place where Chimanimani’s first district hospital will be constructed.
Plans to kick-start the project are already at an advanced stage.
Chimanimani has been reeling under acute shortage of health care service providers with two mission hospitals — Mutambara and Rusitu — being the only major centres in the district.
Ill-equipped Ngangu Rural Hospital is the only other health care centre in the district.
Addressing guests during a tour of Ngangu Rural Hospital in Chimanimani last Friday, VP Chiwenga said: “As we work towards the establishment of a district hospital for Chimanimani at Biriiri, we are aware that we really need to improve the existing health facilities in the district and the entire province.”
Online Reporter