Online Reporter
Farai Dauramanzi in Gwanda
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, POTRAZ, today handed over a 12kVA solar system to Gwanda Provincial Hospital to power its Intensive Care Unit and end the transfer of critical patients to Bulawayo.
The system, backed by a 20kW PV solar array, was handed over together with pharmaceuticals, 50 mattresses, 50 blankets, groceries, 100 patient care packs and fruit packs.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Matabeleland South, POTRAZ Deputy Director-General Mr Alfred Marisa said Gwanda Provincial Hospital was selected as one of this year’s beneficiaries under the POTRAZ Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
“Whilst we have our mandate of regulating the ICT sector, we also have to come to the communities that we serve and help out.
“In March this year, we were at Gwanda Provincial Hospital where we made an assessment of the needs,” Mr Marisa said.
He said the assessment revealed an urgent need for solar power at the hospital.
“The requests from the province were many, but we had to prioritise Gwanda Provincial Hospital after coming on site to assess the needs. We discovered that there was an urgent need for a solar system.
“So we came in with a 12kVA solar system which will power the ICU unit. It is already operational. We are told that before then, ICU patients were being transferred to Bulawayo and some were losing their lives along the way. We hope that this has helped to alleviate that problem.”
Mr Marisa said POTRAZ also donated medication and other essentials.
“We also provided an assortment of medicines to the hospital. Then we have these mattresses, 50 of them, and blankets and grocery items, just to chip in and help the hospital. We know it’s a drop in the ocean, but the idea is that perhaps this will encourage other companies and other organisations to also come in and assist,” he said.
Gwanda Provincial Hospital Acting Medical Superintendent Dr Ray Chokera said the intervention will greatly improve patient care.
“The solar system which will be of great benefit during power cuts, and we also received some medications.
“This is the only ICU that we have in our province and the majority of our patients are going to benefit from the help that we received from POTRAZ.
“We are very thankful for this donation and we hope that it will help in the management of our patients, especially the blankets, because our hospital covers the whole province,” said Dr Chokera.
He added that the additional mattresses would help the hospital to accommodate more patients.
“Sometimes we receive patient numbers that go beyond the normal bed capacity of the hospital and these mattresses will really help us in the management of our patients, making sure that everyone has a place to sleep and we do not have to send patients home,” Dr Chokera said.
POTRAZ is currently touring various provinces donating to clinics, hospitals, old people’s homes and children’s homes as part of its CSR commitment.
