Chronicle EditorThandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
A NUMBER of buildings that were being rehabilitated at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo are almost complete and waiting for additional Government funding to be finished.
The Government has injected a cumulative $550 million into the Mpilo project following tragic events which saw doctors losing their belongings after a fire destroyed the hospital’s biggest staff residence last year in May.
A decision was then taken to renovate the building, including two others which were also destroyed by fire earlier and the nurse’s residence which was in a dilapidated state.
Government first injected $350 million into Mpilo renovations last year in June when the doctors’ residence was reduced to ashes due to an electric fault.
This was the third fire incident at the public health institution in three years.
In 2018, another Mpilo doctors’ residence was gutted by fire and property worth US$300 000 was lost.
Another incident was recorded in June 2019 when a doctor slept, leaving his heater on resulting in fire destroying the entire household property.
The 1 000-bed referral hospital serves Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, the two Matabeleland provinces, the Midlands and Masvingo.
In an interview yesterday, Mpilo Central Hospital’s acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said an additional $350m will enable the hospital to finish the project which is 95 percent complete.
The deadline for the completion of all buildings at Mpilo was last month, but additional funds are needed to complete the flat, a three-storey building and the four other buildings which are under renovation.
“We are right on track and besides two of the buildings, which are 100 percent complete, I am happy to announce that the biggest of the buildings which were burnt down last year is now 95 percent complete,” said Prof Ngwenya.
“The staff residence was the major project. We even had to change the plan to modernise it so that our doctors and staff members are comfortable”.
Prof Ngwenya said the nurses’ home is about 60 percent complete in terms of renovations.
“We await funding from the Government as our resources are running low and we are hopeful that the Government will ensure that this project becomes a success,” he said.
Doctors were offered temporary shelter at local lodges and the Bulawayo Polytechnic.
“We are grateful to our partners who continue showing us support and we hope that the Government will disburse funds to us soon. We need about $350 million to be able to complete everything and the flat construction is now at 40 percent, which is very encouraging considering that it was built from scratch,” he said.
Prof Ngwenya said the residences will go a long way in accommodating healthcare workers at Mpilo including junior doctors, who will soon be deployed to the public institution.
The team involved in the project includes members of the police, army, prison services and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. — @thamamoe
Online Reporter