Home Health Citizens react to Sakunda private COVID 19 facility rumours

Citizens react to Sakunda private COVID 19 facility rumours

by BustopTV

By Lloyd Takawira

Social media reports that Sakunda Holdings was set to open a private hospital, Rockfoundation and St Annes in Mt Pleasant and Avondale respectively sparked widespread rage.

The two health centres in the capital were purportedly for the ruling elite who did not want to seek medicare at the ill-equipped Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital.

According to a statement from the Makamba family, Zororo had because of neglect from health workers, lack of basic equipment and medication at Wilkins Hospital.

He was the first COVID 19 patient to pass away in the country out of the three confirmed cases.

There was widespread condemnation from many as citizens registered their displeasure.

Prominent figures like Advocate Thabani Mpofu threatened to march to the facilities and force them to open to every citizen.

Academic Pedzisayi Ruhanya wrote, “So Zanu PF and it’s elites are upgrading Kereke’s Rock Foundation Hospital in Mount Pleasant with state of the art Coronavirus equipment so that they survive while the rest of us die. This arrogance is criminal and must die. Animal Farm practices by ZANU PF cartels be rejected.”

Rodrick Fayayo said, “I hear a private hospital is being prepared for VIP Corona cases. Dear God how did we get to have such evil, selfish masquerades as leaders. So the little that was donated for the poor has been taken by those who have plenty”.

Samuel Simimbi said, “If this is real, that building must go down. What kind of people are these? If really they are, I am with you for the first time since you crossed the fence”.

Activist Solomon Haridzubwi wrote “… the facility they are building to deal with Covid-19 cases for the elite needs to be BURNED. You can’t neglect the institutions that are serving the poor & look out for yourself using funds you taking from the poor. NO!”

The outrage forced Sakunda to release a statement dismissing the reports.

The company said the two hospitals would be used for coronavirus responses only and would be “open to everyone contrary to social media reports that they will be open to government and ZANU PF bigwigs”.

“The government of Zimbabwe has implemented a raft of measures to curb and control the outbreak of the disease albeit under tough economic circumstances. It is against this background that Sakunda Holdings (Pvt) Ltd and its associates have come up with a private initiative to complement government efforts to curb this pandemic specifically in the provision of health facilities, equipment, training and vaccines. Sakunda has identified Rock Foundation Medical Centre as a facility in the fight against COVID-19,” Everton Mlalazi, Special Projects Manager at Sakunda.

Sakunda says it had asked the government to speed up the authorisation.

“Licenses will be sought from the following bodies: MCAZ, Pharmacists Council, Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe, Medical and Dental Council of Zimbabwe and Health Professions Authority,” said Mlalazi in his letter.

“Sakunda Holdings has confirmed that they have the resources and funding to do the work and hence refurbishments will not be at your costs. May you also note as discussed during the tour of your hospital our request to use this facility is for up to six months only for the COVID-19 response,” read a from Health ministry permanent secretary, Agnes Mahomva .

Rock Foundation was owned by Munyaradzi Kereke, a former ZANU PF MP currently serving jail time for rape. It shut down in 2014 after the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority garnished the company’s accounts over US$3.3 million in tax arrears.

St Anne’s was shut down in 2015 after a rental dispute between pharmaceutical company CAPS, which ran the hospital, and property owners the Little Company of Mary, a Catholic group.

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