The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
ST PETER’s Mission Hospital in Chipinge has received funding from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to construct a modern male ward following an outcry over its decision to admit male and female patients in the same ward.
Construction of the ward to cater for 65 patients is already underway and expected to be complete by June this year.
The gesture will bring relief to patients from surrounding communities who are being turned away from the hospital due to lack of space.
The hospital commands a large catchment, drawing patients from Chipinge, Chiredzi and Mozambique.
Over the years the hospital had little spaceto accommodate male patients and on reaching maximum capacity, would admit seriously ill male patients in the female ward.
Some patients would be discharged prematurely to accommodate new inmates or would be referred to Chiredzi and Chipinge district hospitals.
Chipinge South MP Cde Enoch Porusingazi said the practice of mixing male and female patients in the same ward was against the African tradition.
“We received the CDF of $100 000 and used part of it to buy all the building materials, and to pay contractors, for the construction of the male ward for the hospital. We are at slab level and earmark to finish the building in June.
“We need to finish this ward early because what is happening there is against our culture and beliefs. Imagine adult male and female patients sharing the same ward.
This new ward will accommodate 65 patients. It has toilets, beds and air-conditioners. The local people have volunteered labour and locally available materials like bricks, river and pit sand,” said Cde Porusingazi.
Chipinge district medical director Dr Brian Makumbe confirmed the development and it will certainly ease pressure at nearby referral hospitals.
“I can confirm that there is a ward being constructed at St Peter’s Hospital through the help of the local legislator. The project was planned in 2015 after noting that the hospital was not in keeping with demand from the population. The construction of the ward will allow expansion of the space for admission and this will reduce the number of patients being transferred prematurely,” said Dr Makumbe.
