Various communities have donated and pledged towards the restoration of Ekusileni and Thorngrove hospitals which are being set to be the centres handling the COVID-19 pandemic also known as Corona virus.
The devastating news of Bulawayo having to send its patients to Harare if any case of the pandemic was to rise came as a wakeup call that motivated stakeholders, communities and individuals of Bulawayo to take a step concerning the setting up of centres.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Development Hon Judith Ncube expressed gratitude to different stakeholders that took part in fighting against the pandemic at the I Am For Bulawayo, a multi-stakeholder platform.
“I am very grateful for the work and donations that has been done toward fighting COVID-19. It is very agonising to know that our hospital stuff sometimes work without adequate protective clothing and sometimes has to buy some for themselves. I am very grateful for the good work, thank you Bulawayo,” she said.
The I Am for Bulawayo multi-stakeholder is a platform that brings together different communities to mobilise resources to fight against COVID-19 was launched on the 10th of this month at Ekusileni hospital.
Busisa Moyo the chairperson of the trust said as health professionals are there to guide in equipping facilities everyone is welcome to assist fighting the pandemic.
“Our health colleagues and professionals such as Mr Masora are helping us equip these institutions and buildings so that we are ready for COVID-19. So this is our work every one who has Bulawayo at heart is welcome.
“Thank you so much I am humbled by the response that I see here today, this is the beginning of a great work and I trust it will spark the beginning of a new way of working concerning Bulawayo,” said Moyo.
Organisations such as Boc Gases, Rainbow Hotel, Edgars, Lobels bread and Word Vision pledged and donated equipment such as gas tanks latex gloves and respirators and some such as United Refineries donated up to 20 000 usd to the cause.
Health professionals such Dr Wedu Moyo said the facilities are ready to admit patients although some renovations are still being done.
“The main facilities that we are looking at are Thorngrove infection diseases hospital and Ekusileni. Thorngrove is still under renovations but it is able to admit however it will not be able to ventilate although steps in that direction are still being undertaken.
As for Ekusileni you will hear most of the work that has been done later on. However because it was none functional stuff is being recruited as we speak,” said Dr Moyo.
The event was also attended by the Mayor of Bulawayo Hon Solomon Mguni who gave grateful remarks and Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube who also donated a beast to the cause.
Bulawayo residents were advised to still respect the lock down rules for the country to bend the curve as the first case was recorded a week ago. The platform was confirmed to be still open for all kinds of donations and pledges.
Source: Lance Chigodo, Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre (HIFC)
