adminUMZINGWANE district will soon get a new hospital after the area’s only health facility had gone for over 75 years without any upgrade due to space constraints.
The Member of Parliament for Umzingwane, Cde William Dhewa, told the Sunday News that plans are already underway for the new facility during a medical outreach programme that was held yesterday.
“Government has approved everything and all we are waiting for are resources to kick start the project. We have identified the site already. We failed to upgrade the current facility as there are space constraints so we had to go to a new place,” said Cde Dhewa.
He said drawings for the new hospital have been submitted and construction will start soon. He, however, could not be drawn to reveal the cost of the new hospital.
Cde Dhewa said the outreach programme held at the hospital was welcome because the district has limited resources and staff. Initially, Cde Dhewa said they had mobilised 40 doctors and specialists from both private and public sector but more than 60 attended the outreach, which he said was very encouraging.
The current hospital at Esigodini has no theatre and patients that need even minor operations are referred to Bulawayo.
Minister in the Office of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Cde Clifford Sibanda, took a tour of the institution and also applauded the volunteer doctors.
“I appreciate the work done by these volunteer doctors who took time to offer health care to the communities. There is a serious need for services to be provided in such areas and seeing that such institutions may have one or two doctors, the presence of these specialists means a lot to the people,” said Cde Sibanda.
“We cannot always look beyond our borders to Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other donors for assistance but we should assist each other as Zimbabweans just like these doctors have done.”
The President of the Zimbabwe Medical Association (Matabeleland Chapter), Dr Francis Mavuka Chiwora, said the social responsibility outreach programme is meant to aid communities that do not usually get specialist services.
One of the organisers of the outreach, Dr Themba Ncube, said Dr Nkonzo Ndebele had been appointed as resident doctor for Esigodini.
“We have appointed him to be resident doctor and it is encouraging that he is working hard for the community and aiding them as he is always on the ground,” he said. Over 2 000 people turned up for the outreach.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter