adminFungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
Mvurwi Hospital has been designated as a Covid-19 isolation centre for Mashonaland Central, with plans at an advanced stage to convert one room into an intensive care unit for Covid-19 patients who need special care.
A one-roomed isolation ward for suspected Covid-19 cases has already been built.
Provincial medical director Dr Clemence Tshuma said the hospital had adequate infrastructure to accommodate Covid-19 patients in need of intensive care.
He said the ICU was in need of a ventilator and personal protective equipment.
The water system at the hospital needed to be upgraded so that wards have running water.
Dr Tshuma said the province had 12 GeneXpert machines which can be used for testing Covid-19.
The provincial Covid-19 taskforce passed through the hospital during their tour of three districts — Mazowe, Muzarabani and Mt Darwin — to monitor compliance with the lockdown directive.
Provincial development coordinator Mr Cosmas Chiringa said the taskforce was not happy with Mt Darwin where many were ignoring the lockdown rules.
“In Mazowe, there was compliance with the Government’s directive,” he said. “We went to Glendale and supermarkets are adhering to precautionary measures, the police are manning the shops but in Tsungubvi suburb people were moving around.”
Mr Chiringa said at Jumbo Mine in Mazowe there was a high level of compliance, as well as in Mvurwi.
The taskforce then passed through Mvurwi Hospital, which was identified as an infectious diseases centre.
“We went to Muzarabani and then Mt Darwin where we were not happy with the non-compliance to the lockdown directive and the absence of security forces to enforce the lockdown,” he said.
Chairperson of the lockdown committee police Assistant Commissioner Mavhuto Maseko said they would increase police deployment to ensure compliance.
“The security forces are making an effort, but there are a few areas in Glendale and Mt Darwin at Madondo Shopping Centre where people are loitering around,” he said. “I summoned the officer commanding Mt Darwin district and advised him that this should not be allowed to continue.”
The army is expected to partner with the police to carry out roving patrols even after the shops have closed.
Online Reporter