Ingutsheni to open new 20-bed ward

A NEW 20-bed ward to house drug and substance abuse victims is set to open at Ingutsheni Central Hospital in Bulawayo while authorities are working on two other sites to cater for drug and substance abuse.

The Government has taken a strong stance against drug and substance abuse with various measures that have been put in place, bearing fruit.

All the country`s 10 provinces have drug and substance abuse taskforces that work with the national taskforce in coordinating the fight against the vice.

In a media briefing yesterday, the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, who was represented by permanent secretary in the province, Mr Paul Nyoni, said the new ward will open soon.

“To address the energy need for rehabilitation facilities, St. Luke’s Ward at Ingutsheni Hospital has been designated as the in-patient rehabilitation centre with refurbishment more or less complete. We acknowledge various stakeholders who have worked to get the ward read and donated various stuff needed,” she said.

Minister Ncube said the Emakhandeni Day Care Centre will function as an outpatient drop-in centre alongside St Luke’s Ward to relieve pressure on Ingutsheni Central Hospital.

“The province has also been approached by the Angel of Hope to establish a rehabilitation Centre modelled around the Mbare facility. We are in the process of identifying a suitable venue for that,” she said.

Minister Ncube hailed the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for coming on board to help the province in the fight against drug and substance abuse.

She said in the first quarter of the year, the province has intensified its fight against the supply of drugs.

The minister said enforcement operations have been intensified since the beginning of the year, targeting the cultivation, possession and distribution of dangerous drugs in Bulawayo.

“Contraband approximately 4,1kg of dagga, 253 sachets of dagga, 57 dagga plants recovered from residential gardens and fields, as well as 283 bottles of abused cough syrups. A total of 341 arrests were made with 56 already convicted,” she said.

The minister said the province continues to fundraise for funds to respond to the fight and hailed stakeholders who have supported the initiative.

“The funds are still needed to rehabilitate Emakhandeni Day Care Centre to make it a drop-in centre and once negotiations with Bulawayo City Council succeed to take over a beer garden that is not in use into the rehabilitation centre,” she said.

“The beer garden, once refurbished, will provide more space to carry more people and a conducive environment for rehabilitation. This will require more resources and we will be appealing to our stakeholders for support.”

The drug menace in Bulawayo has seen Ingutsheni Central Hospital being overwhelmed, resulting in a shortage of some critical drugs to administer to patients.

“On supply reduction some of the challenges include lack of equipment such as drug tests kits, airport scanners. Transport and fuel to conduct the needed raids is another challenge,” said Minister Ncube.

She said the Zimbabwe Open University and Bulawayo Polytechnic are training the frontline responders, targeting nurses, pastors and community workers with 142 people having been trained in the first quarter. — @themkhust.