News / Local
Govt ordered to re-open Ekusileni Medical Centre
23 Feb 2015 at 16:25hrs | Views
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care has ordered government to re-open Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo by March, as the facility is slowly crumbling.
Ekusileni is the brain-child of late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo and has been lying idle since 2004 after it was shut down shortly after opening its doors.
Last year, the committee undertook fact finding visits to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Harare Central Hospital, Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Ingutsheni Central Hospital and Ekusileni Medical Centre.
In its findings, the committee headed by Dr Ruth Labode said infrastructure in most hospitals was dilapidated with most of the central hospitals overcrowded, with broken beds and have obsolete equipment.
Dr Labode told Parliament last week that "Ekusileni Medical Centre is falling apart without being used yet pensioners' monies were used to construct this hospital".
As part of its recommendations the committee said "the Minister of Health and Child Care (David Parirenyatwa) must use powers vested in his office to ensure that Ekhusileni Medical Centre opens by March this year."
However, indications are that the facility could be re-opened in April.
Meanwhile, Umzingwane MP William Dhewa told parliament that Esigodini District Hospital, which a once farm house and turned into a Rural Health Centre is on the verge of collapsing.
Dhewa said in the past three decades government have been promising to construct a proper health facility to no avail.
The new hospital was to replace the current one which Dhewa said was "grossly inadequate for its function".
"The situation has been like that for the past three decades as there have been promises that Government would build a new hospital.
"I think it is one of the administrative districts that does not have a district hospital or an upgraded one," Dhewa said.
He also said there is a railway line running in the middle of the hospital and the buildings always succumb to vibrations and have developed cracks.
Dhewa added that the facility lack basic equipment such as X-ray machines and even a dental chair.
Ekusileni is the brain-child of late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo and has been lying idle since 2004 after it was shut down shortly after opening its doors.
Last year, the committee undertook fact finding visits to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Harare Central Hospital, Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Ingutsheni Central Hospital and Ekusileni Medical Centre.
In its findings, the committee headed by Dr Ruth Labode said infrastructure in most hospitals was dilapidated with most of the central hospitals overcrowded, with broken beds and have obsolete equipment.
Dr Labode told Parliament last week that "Ekusileni Medical Centre is falling apart without being used yet pensioners' monies were used to construct this hospital".
As part of its recommendations the committee said "the Minister of Health and Child Care (David Parirenyatwa) must use powers vested in his office to ensure that Ekhusileni Medical Centre opens by March this year."
However, indications are that the facility could be re-opened in April.
Dhewa said in the past three decades government have been promising to construct a proper health facility to no avail.
The new hospital was to replace the current one which Dhewa said was "grossly inadequate for its function".
"The situation has been like that for the past three decades as there have been promises that Government would build a new hospital.
"I think it is one of the administrative districts that does not have a district hospital or an upgraded one," Dhewa said.
He also said there is a railway line running in the middle of the hospital and the buildings always succumb to vibrations and have developed cracks.
Dhewa added that the facility lack basic equipment such as X-ray machines and even a dental chair.
Source - Radio Dialogue
