News / National
Water crisis at Vumbachikwe poses serious health crisis
07 Dec 2024 at 10:16hrs | Views
Water crisis that is as a result of a cocktail of challenges faced by the Vumbachikwe Mine community among them electricity disconnection by Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority is posing a serious health crisis for the community with fears of a possible cholera outbreak high in the advent of the local Clinic still closed since November 8, 2022.
ZESA reportedly disconnected water about two monta ago due to the debt owed by two mine and two debt is said to have accumulated to around US$1,6 million.
Concerned community members said while access to o water is a serious challenge for the community, the Clinic has not been officially functioning.
"I just heard that there is fridge that was donated. Water is available for only 1 hour per day but some houses do no receive," said a community member.
"If you raise complaint they airlock along the pipes. They are using a generator for powering the pump from Mtshabezi dam which is a temporary measure. Permanent solution is to pay up ZESA bills and water bills , once the generator fails we will be in a big problem than before."
Vumbachikwe mine spokesperson recently said the management started to refurbish the clinic which will be soon open to patients once works are complete adding that the clinic sister has since been offering services to the workers even before the reopening of the clinic.
But the community members said according to Mukondiwa 's ill advised statement in the media, " the clinic is now open and is going to service workers in essential service and their immediate families."
"He is forgetting to know if the clinic is in area it serves the entire residence who resides there and forget no one was dismissed from work. We are both and equal deserve same treatment," said the community member.
Recently Vumbachikwe community that includes former workers who remained in the mining compound after the closure of the company on November 8, 2022, recently engaged the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Gwanda District Development Coordinator and Rural District Council over water crisis.
The clinic was closed for;lowing it's vandalism when riots broke out in 2022 as workers and their families protested over non payment of their dues.
The community member said the clinic is non functioning as there are no essential drugs in the clinic.
"The sister in charge is loitering around the mine in her plain clothes," said the community member.
Investigations established that when some patients went to seek medical attention they were told the clinic is yet to be stuffed and currently residence and workers on essential services are refered to Gwandà Hospital for medication.
"The ambulance is parked inside the mine premises and there is no driver on duty. The company is at zero disaster management preparedness. The clinic used to be busy through out the day now ghost clinic saved by the security fence otherwise it could be ruined to Earth in the hands of the unknown," said the sources.
As of May this year it was reported that creditors and staff at Vumbachikwe mine were owed over $10 million, ZESA was owed over $1,5m and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority was owed over $2.5m.
ZESA reportedly disconnected water about two monta ago due to the debt owed by two mine and two debt is said to have accumulated to around US$1,6 million.
Concerned community members said while access to o water is a serious challenge for the community, the Clinic has not been officially functioning.
"I just heard that there is fridge that was donated. Water is available for only 1 hour per day but some houses do no receive," said a community member.
"If you raise complaint they airlock along the pipes. They are using a generator for powering the pump from Mtshabezi dam which is a temporary measure. Permanent solution is to pay up ZESA bills and water bills , once the generator fails we will be in a big problem than before."
Vumbachikwe mine spokesperson recently said the management started to refurbish the clinic which will be soon open to patients once works are complete adding that the clinic sister has since been offering services to the workers even before the reopening of the clinic.
But the community members said according to Mukondiwa 's ill advised statement in the media, " the clinic is now open and is going to service workers in essential service and their immediate families."
Recently Vumbachikwe community that includes former workers who remained in the mining compound after the closure of the company on November 8, 2022, recently engaged the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Gwanda District Development Coordinator and Rural District Council over water crisis.
The clinic was closed for;lowing it's vandalism when riots broke out in 2022 as workers and their families protested over non payment of their dues.
The community member said the clinic is non functioning as there are no essential drugs in the clinic.
"The sister in charge is loitering around the mine in her plain clothes," said the community member.
Investigations established that when some patients went to seek medical attention they were told the clinic is yet to be stuffed and currently residence and workers on essential services are refered to Gwandà Hospital for medication.
"The ambulance is parked inside the mine premises and there is no driver on duty. The company is at zero disaster management preparedness. The clinic used to be busy through out the day now ghost clinic saved by the security fence otherwise it could be ruined to Earth in the hands of the unknown," said the sources.
As of May this year it was reported that creditors and staff at Vumbachikwe mine were owed over $10 million, ZESA was owed over $1,5m and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority was owed over $2.5m.
Source - Byo24news
