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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu , Health Reporter
MUCH ground has been covered in the reconstruction of Mpilo Central Hospital staff residences that were gutted by fire in May after Government released $287 million for the works.
Three doctors’ quarters and a nurses hostel will all be completed in three months and so far $57 million has been spent.
Stakeholders that include Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) are involved in the project.
A total of 41 doctors were forced to escape through a window when fire gutted the building and reduced to ashes all their belongings including household property, certificates, food and clothes.
In 2018, another Mpilo doctors’ residence was gutted by fire and property worth US$300 000 was lost and the following year in June, a doctor slept, leaving his heater on, which resulted in another fire which destroyed another doctors’ hostel.
All three buildings were said to have gone for too long without maintenance which could have caused the fire incidents.
The fourth building which is also under renovation is the nurses’ hostel which Government officials declared unsafe for human habitation.
The 1 000-bed public hospital services Bulawayo Metropolitan province, Matabeleland North and South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces.
In an interview yesterday Mpilo acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said everything was on track and was confident the set deadlines will be met.
It is projected that the refurbishment of the buildings will be completed my mid-September.
“We have spent about $57 million of the allocated figure that we got from the Government and we are continuing with the partitioning of the structure that will give us the en suites for our doctors,” said Professor Ngwenya.
“We had started with the DQ but now we have moved to the recently burnt residence whose renovation commences today.”
Prof Ngwenya said the funds allocated had enabled Mpilo to purchase all the required building material.
“The other building commonly known as the White House will be next as our workers are already putting sheeting as well. There is marked progress in rebuilding all the affected buildings and we remain hopeful that we will meet our target of finishing everything in 90 days,” said Prof Ngwenya. — @thamamoe.
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