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Mthabisi Tshuma, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) yesterday (Wednesday) donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to Phakama Isolation Centre.
The donation is part of the PPE consignments targeting health workers at three isolation centres in Matabeleland South province namely Phakama Isolation Centre in Gwanda, Eskhoveni Isolation Centre at UMzingwane and an isolation centre at Beitbridge town.
The total PPEs for all the three isolation centres consist of 18 infrared thermometers, 20 eye googles, 4500 face masks, 600 packs of gloves, 50 scrub suits, 500 non sterile isolation gowns and 12 500 litres of sanitiser.
Phakama Isolation Centre yesterday received 150 non sterile isolation gowns, two infrared thermometers, 5 eye googles, 150 scrub suits and 1000 face masks.
Gwanda Provincial Hospital also received 1000 masks, 10 scrub suits and 100 isolation gowns.
In an interview on the sidelines of the donations at Phakama Isolation Centre in Phakama suburb yesterday, ZRCS Matabeleland South provincial manager Mrs Siphiwethina Tshuma said the donation is aimed at equipping the frontline workers.
“We are here to donate equipment which we received from the International Federation Red Cross and Red Cross societies.
“The equipment is directed to the frontline workers which are manning these institutions as they play a pivotal role in mitigating the spread of the virus and taking care of those who would have been infected and need medical attention,” said Mrs Tshuma.
She said as an organisation there are also having a project that is underway and focuses on availing water to communities in the province.
“We have an ongoing project called Water Sanitation and Hygiene which is targeting Gwanda urban and Mangwe rural while will run for six months.
“We will fix boreholes in order to alleviate water challenges and we have so far rehabilated three boreholes at Gwanda urban and seven at Mangwe rural,” said Mrs Tshuma.
Receiving the donations, Phakama Isolation Centre Matron Getrude Buhali expressed gratitudeness for the donation.
“We are grateful to ZCRS for such a generous donation which has come timeously at a time we have started operating.
“At the moment we do not have any admitted Covid-19 patients but we are on standby to attend to any type of case,”” said Matron Buhali.
Acting Gwanda district development coordinator Mr Thulani Moyo said other stakeholders should take lead from ZCRS in supporting the fight of the pandemic.
“This place was donated by Blanket Mine and ZCRS becomes the first to donate after the isolation centre started to be operational.
“We thank you for leading by example and now implore other stakeholders to follow suit an play their part in assisting Government curb the spread of Covid-19,” said Mr Moyo.
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Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter