The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
REHABILITATION of the Mutare Infectious Disease Hospital isolation facility is expected to be complete soon, with most of the work on the superstructure already done.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care took over the construction and running of the hospital early this week to accelerate rehabilitation of the unit.
Provincial Public Works Department head, Mr Tendai Chiwanza, said tiling and painting are the only outstanding works at the Intensive Care Unit wing.
“We have beefed up workforce for the ICU wing and it is almost complete. So far we have completed the plumbing and electrical works, while tiling and painting are at about 50 percent completion. We will also do the other wing of the hospital, but for now we are waiting for Mutare City Council to procure the material needed. We need to come up with two shifts so that we speed up the work,” he said.
He said they would be flighting tenders for the supply of piped medical oxygen for both the MIDH facility and the one at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.
Last week, acting Manicaland Provincial Medical Director Dr Munyaradzi Mukuzunga said for a start, the Mutare Infectious Disease Hospital would have four ICU beds.
He also revealed that when fully refurbished, the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital would have six high dependence units, 14 ICU beds and 20 ordinary beds for Covid-19. In addition to this, all district hospitals will have a minimum of 20 beds, each with oxygen infrastructure.
So far, Government has released $1,4 million for the isolation centre, while Mutare City Council injected $1,5 million towards the procurement of equipment.
Another $1,6 million was raised by businesses operating under the auspices of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in Mutare.
