Manama Hospital renovations stall

Renovations at Manama Mission Hospital where infrastructure and buildings were extensively damaged by a violent storm late last year have stalled due to lack of funds.

In January, the roof had been completed with expectations of putting up the ceilings, electricals, painting, flooring, plumbing and other repairs but work has since stopped with officials citing unavailability of funds to complete the project.

Government allocated $28 million for repairs and upgrading of Manama Hospital after noting that all the institution's infrastructure does not meet modern health care standards.

Media personality Dr Omphile Marupi, who was born at the hospital, co-ordinated a fundraising drive under the banner of Friends of Manama last year to help repair the health facility.

Friends of Manama brought together teachers, academics, businesspeople, politicians, service chiefs and ordinary people associated with the hospital in one way or the other.

Roofs of several wards that include the maternity ward were blown off following heavy rains accompanied by strong winds.
The infrastructure damage is estimated at US$40 000.

Treasury initially released $8 million to repair the damaged infrastructure but later availed more funds to upgrade the entire hospital infrastructure, which is in a poor state.

Matabeleland South Provincial Public Works director Mr Sijabuliso Ncube said there has not been much movement at the hospital since the roof was put up.

"Very little has happened at the hospital since the beginning of the year. There hasn't been any change due to lack of funds. We just managed to put up the roofing and have not been able to go any further than that," he said.

Mr Ncube said sourcing of funds has not stopped as efforts are being made to complete the repairs at the hospital and get it fully functional again.

"We're still looking for more funds to revamp the hospital and we hope repairs will resume soon," he said.

Strong winds and heavy rains which hit the Manama area, also left the hospital without electricity after solar panels were damaged, affecting water storage tanks and telecommunication cables, resulting in the suspension of critical services.

The suspended services include the expanded programme of immunisation (EPI), maternity delivery services, postnatal care services, isolation of Covid-19-positive mothers, antenatal care services and integrated management of neonatal, childhood illnesses and mortuary services.

Matabeleland South provincial medical director Dr Rudo Chikodzero said the hospital has had to make do with the current infrastructure to accommodate patients.

"The female patients are still having to share space with patients from other wards as we await completion of the hospital repairs," said Dr Chikodzero.

Four departments were extremely affected leaving the hospital operating with just four wards, which accommodate all the admitted patients.

Manama Mission Hospital was built in 1939 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) using farm bricks and its roofing was a combination of corrugated iron and asbestos.

It is located 85km south of Gwanda town and has a catchment population of 82 500 based on the 1992 census. The hospital mainly services the population of Gwanda South and Beitbridge West.

It also acts as a referral hospital for other parts of Beitbridge District, Maphisa, Kezi, parts of Mberengwa and Botswana.