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Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Correspondent
Miners lobby group Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has engaged the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) towards having rehabilitation wards at district hospitals in mining areas, an official has said.
This comes at a time when accidents in mines continue to rise resulting in some miners getting injured while others lose their lives. In an interview, ZMF Chairman Mr Makumba Nyenje said such rehabilitation centres would help the injured get help urgently.
“We are in discussion with Nssa as we want them to put up some wards in almost every district hospital which will cater for those who get injured in mines. Sometimes miners get injured while at work and are left with broken limbs or excessive bleeding and when they are rushed to the hospital, they get minimal help as most hospitals in mining areas are not adequately stocked.
We therefore, ask NssA to come in so that the injured can get help urgently in order to save lives,” he said
Mr Nyenje says the federation has also engaged Zimbabwe school of Mines to train search and rescue teams.
“Mining industry is a dangerous industry therefore, we cannot do without rescue and reaction teams. We have appealed to the Zimbabwe School Mines to help us in training rescue and reaction teams who will be deployed to every province and every district. The college is currently developing short courses to do with fundamentals of small-scale mining. In cases where there is a mine disaster, these teams will rush to the scene to help miners,” he said.
Nssa operates one rehabilitation centre which is in Bulawayo. More than 30 miners have died from mining accidents this year, such as the Cricket Mine disaster in Battlefields, El dorado Mine and Deep Stream mine accidents.
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