BY PATRICIA SIBANDA MANAMA Mission Hospital maternity ward in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province has failed to re-open despite undergoing some renovations after it was extensively damaged by a violent storm last year.
Provincial epidemiology and disease control Officer Andrew Muza told Southern Eye that the reopening of the maternity ward had been delayed by some infrastructural defects.
The hospital is one of the largest referral health centres in the province.
“The opening of the ward has been delayed ever since its renovations were done by the government due to some complications. The ward has never been used ever since its rehabilitation,” Muza said.
Government allocated $28 million for repairs and upgrading of Manama Hospital after noting that the institution’s infrastructure does not meet modern health care standards following the violent storm.
Treasury initially released $8 million to repair the damaged section, but later availed more funds to upgrade the entire hospital infrastructure, which is in a poor state.
Media personality Omphile Marupi, who was born at the hospital, co-ordinated the fundraising initiative under the banner “Friends of Manama” for the rehabilitation of the health facility.
Roofs of several wards that include the maternity ward were blown off following heavy rains accompanied by strong winds late last year.
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The hospital was built in 1939 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ), and mainly serves the population of Gwanda South and Beitbridge West.
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