News / Local
Chitungwiza COVID-19 isolation centre lies idle
04 Jan 2021 at 22:23hrs | Views
A CHITUNGWIZA health facility set aside last year as a COVID-19 isolation centre is lying idle after work to transform it into a treatment hub was stalled due to lack of funds.
In April last year, Seke South Clinic in Unit L, a Chitungwiza Municipality-run health facility, was converted into a COVID-19 response centre for the town.
Health care services at Seke South Clinic were transferred to Seke North (Makoni) and Zengeza clinics to pave way for renovations.
During the early stages, government chipped in and injected funds to the project, but Chitungwiza Municipality director of health services Tonderai Kasu confirmed that the facility was now a white elephant after renovations were held up due to lack of funding.
"We have been carrying out renovations and refurbishment works at our Seke South Clinic as we have dedicated it to be our isolation centre for admission of Chitungwiza COVID-19 patients," Kasu said.
"A lot of work has been done and progress has been made, but the facility is still not ready to admit COVID-19 patients yet because funding for the project has dried up.
"We were initially given some funding through the Ministry of Health and Child Care to carry out some of the work, and we did this work, but the funding was not enough to carry out the renovation, refurbishment and equipping of the facility to completion."
Kasu said given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and that existing facilities were being overwhelmed and reaching capacity, council was appealing for support to have the isolation facility ready for admission of patients soon.
As of Sunday, Chitungwiza had recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19 and one death in 24 hours.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in March last year, Chitungwiza has had 296 confirmed cases.
Residents feel neglected by the authorities at a time when the second wave of COVID-19 is ravaging across the country.
"We are on our own.
"No one seems to care considering COVID-19 is causing havoc across the country," said Alice Kuvheya, Chitungwiza Residents Trust spokesperson.
"We appeal to the government to assist in the completion of the isolation centre.
"We also appeal to government to come up with social safety nets to cushion ordinary citizens, especially during this time of the lockdown."
Kuvheya said the health facilities in Chitungwiza could not cope with the growing population of the town which is around one million.
"We only have one hospital and a few council clinics that have no drugs.
"This COVID-19 pandemic is likely to strain the health resources that we have," she said.
Kasu said in the absence of the isolation facility, Chitungwiza Municipality had put in a place a cocktail of COVID-19 intervention and prevention programmes.
In April last year, Seke South Clinic in Unit L, a Chitungwiza Municipality-run health facility, was converted into a COVID-19 response centre for the town.
Health care services at Seke South Clinic were transferred to Seke North (Makoni) and Zengeza clinics to pave way for renovations.
During the early stages, government chipped in and injected funds to the project, but Chitungwiza Municipality director of health services Tonderai Kasu confirmed that the facility was now a white elephant after renovations were held up due to lack of funding.
"We have been carrying out renovations and refurbishment works at our Seke South Clinic as we have dedicated it to be our isolation centre for admission of Chitungwiza COVID-19 patients," Kasu said.
"A lot of work has been done and progress has been made, but the facility is still not ready to admit COVID-19 patients yet because funding for the project has dried up.
"We were initially given some funding through the Ministry of Health and Child Care to carry out some of the work, and we did this work, but the funding was not enough to carry out the renovation, refurbishment and equipping of the facility to completion."
Kasu said given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and that existing facilities were being overwhelmed and reaching capacity, council was appealing for support to have the isolation facility ready for admission of patients soon.
As of Sunday, Chitungwiza had recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19 and one death in 24 hours.
Residents feel neglected by the authorities at a time when the second wave of COVID-19 is ravaging across the country.
"We are on our own.
"No one seems to care considering COVID-19 is causing havoc across the country," said Alice Kuvheya, Chitungwiza Residents Trust spokesperson.
"We appeal to the government to assist in the completion of the isolation centre.
"We also appeal to government to come up with social safety nets to cushion ordinary citizens, especially during this time of the lockdown."
Kuvheya said the health facilities in Chitungwiza could not cope with the growing population of the town which is around one million.
"We only have one hospital and a few council clinics that have no drugs.
"This COVID-19 pandemic is likely to strain the health resources that we have," she said.
Kasu said in the absence of the isolation facility, Chitungwiza Municipality had put in a place a cocktail of COVID-19 intervention and prevention programmes.
Source - newsday
