Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
CONSTRUCTION work on the Bulawayo Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital is 70 percent complete and the institution may open its doors to members of the public by the end of this month, an official has said.
Orthopaedics is the line of surgery and treatment involving the musculoskeletal system and can entail degenerative conditions, trauma, sports injury, tumours and congenital issues.
A joint venture between the United Bulawayo Hospitals and the Zimbabwe Orthopaedic Trust, the hospital was built after the UBH decided to refurbish its infectious diseases hostel which was gutted by fire in 2013.
The double storey hostel has been lying idle since it was gutted by fire which started at a staff hostel and destroyed property worth thousands of dollars in 2013.
Speaking during a recent tour of the institution by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, UBH clinical director Dr Narcisius Dzvanga said there was commendable progress in the construction of the hospital.
“We are doing well so far and we can safely say that we are 70 percent towards completion. We envision that by end of June this year, this institution will be accessible by members of the public,” said Dr Dzvanga.
Dr Moyo said it was the vision of the Government to ensure that public health institutions offer a five-star service to members of the public.
“We want to work on ensuring that all our institutions are refurbished and cleaned up so they become five star facilities.
“We want to make sure our people access quality health care in these institutions as a first preference hence we commend the work done by UBH to meet this target,” he said.
UBH and the Zimbabwe Orthopaedic Trust signed a concession Agreement on February 14, 2017 after agreeing that the trust will build a paediatric orthopaedic hospital that will cater mainly for the country’s Southern Region.
The region is made up of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Masvingo and the Midlands. – @thamamoe
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