By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Zaka – Amid the fight against Covid -19, the Ndanga Isolation centre is still far from completion as the centre is still facing a lot of challenges as it is still a building with no equipment inside.
Zaka District Medical Officer Dr Mutero Mupereki confirmed the issue in an interview with Bustop TV News.
He highlighted that the project is being delayed due to a number of challenges which include financial shortages. Due to the delays in the procurement of the necessary equipment for the isolation center.
The hospital set aside a ward that is being used to admit serious Covid -19 patients and the those that test positive and have mild symptoms are advised to isolate at home as the facility cannot accommodate more Covid -19 patients admission.
In an interview with one residents who stays near Ndanga Hospital, Simon Dube, called for the completion of the isolation ward.
“It is now over a year since Covid -19 became a threat to the lives of many and by now the isolation ward must have been completed. We have serious Covid-19 cases that need special care what will happen. Other districts now have completed isolation wards, but ours is delaying. Covid-19 is not something we should play around with as many people have died due to the virus and not having an isolation ward with all the required equipments scares us. Those in authority must work hard towards the completion of the ward,” Dube said.
Mupereki said there is still more to be done for the renovation process.
“We are still behind as there is still more that needs to be done, so far we cannot say the isolation centre is complete, it is still a building with nothing inside. For us to say it is a Covid-19 isolation ward, it is not about a building, it is about the gas supply, it is about the ventilating equipment which we do not have, the entire nit gratis which has to be done in the inside, nothing has been done so far. We can only say the building is ready. We cannot say we are somewhere as of yet, we still at zero.
“As you are aware that there are government procedures to be followed, the tendering processes are delaying the whole things and we cannot do anything on our own. A lot still needs to be done in our isolation facility and we do not have any make shift plans to admit Covid -19 related patients,” Mupereki.
The DMO said one cannot talk of having an isolation centre without gas as this is the first thing needed once one gets admitted at the centre. According to Mupereki, the government poured out $2million RTGs for the renovations of the isolation ward after they engaged them last year which was specifically for the isolation ward and the government is continuously doing supervision on the progress of the isolation ward. It is now part of the local stakeholders to play its part and make sure the isolation ward is completed.
Zaka District Chief Executive Officer, Edward Chivasa appealed for the government to allow Councils use the devolution funds to rehabilitate isolation facilities as the nation is up in arms against the scourge.
“We appeal for the government to allow the councils to use the devolution funds they have to rehabilitate the isolation facility as we fight against Covid -19 as the government played its part and now the ball is in our hands. The isolation ward has to be completed,” said Chivasa. The Ndanga isolation ward has managed to procure a borehole which was drilled and uses solar and is now pumping water to the isolation ward even though it is not yet functional. They are also in the process of getting a jojo tank for the isolation ward as well.
In a separate interview with the spokesperson of the Masvingo Provincial Covid -19 Taskforce, Rodgers Irimayi indicated that most of the isolation centers in the province are complete.
“Most of the districts in the Province have isolation wards and centers; the provincial isolation center in Mashava which accommodates 90 patients and the provincial ICU at Masvingo Provincial Hospital are the two provincial isolation centers we have. As for the districts, most of the isolation centers are almost ready; the Rujeko Isolation center is functional since first lockdown last year, the Chiredzi isolation center at Chiredzi district hospital, in Mwenezi the isolation center is complete at Neshuro Hospital and Chivi and Gutu hospitals have isolation centers that are readily available,” he said.
