Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
MATABELELAND North requires about $14 million to refurbish five alternative provincial Covid-19 quarantine centres that have been identified in four districts to relocate returnees from educational institutions.
Mosi-oa-Tunya High School in Victoria Falls and Mabhikwa High School in Lupane are being used as quarantine centres but returnees must be relocated to pave way for the re-opening of the educational institutions.
Those who were at Lupane State University (LSU) have since vacated the university.
Government has announced that schools will re-open on July 28 while universities started to re-open on June 1.
Phezulu Lodge in Victoria Falls is now a quarantine centre for those who opted to pay for their stay.
The centres have a combined capacity of 331 while the new identified sites Inyathi Training Centre and Orap Centre in Bubi, United Nations World Tourism Organsation (UNWTO) Centre in Victoria Falls, District Development Fund Training Centre in Tsholotsho and Hlanganani Cooperative in Lupane, will accommodate 335 people.
The UNWTO centre has a few dilapidated structures in Masue area, nearly 10km outside Victoria Falls town. Tengwe Drop Inn was also identified in Binga but the taskforce is yet to inspect the premises.
Matabeleland North Provincial Aff airs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said proposals had been sent to Treasury to refurbish the four newly identified facilities to be used as quarantine centres.
Matabeleland North Provincial Social Welfare offi cer Mr Macnon Chirinzepi said efforts are being made to refurbish the facilities.
“Bubi, Hwange, Lupane and Tsholotsho districts have identified alternative quarantine centres. There is urgent need to refurbish alternative quarantine centres particularly in Victoria Falls where we are receiving returnees from Botswana, Namibia and Zambia,” said Mr Chirinzepi.
He said more blankets are also needed for all returnees because of the winter season. Th e province has so far received close to 600 returnees with the largest number coming through Victoria Falls and Kazungula border posts from Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. A significant number came through Beitbridge and Plumtree from South Africa and Botswana respectively. — @ncubeleon
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