MUTARE-The refurbishment of Mutare Infectious Disease Hospital is almost
complete after works were briefly halted owing to the cholera outbreak that hit
the city over the past months.
Mutare City Council Acting Director of Health Services Eunice Muyambuki
said they had engaged the Ministry of Health and Child Care to assist in the
completion of the project since procurement of materials was still in progress.
“The revamp has reached its peak as we can say most of the super-structural
works on the unit have been completed. As you may understand the local
authority is grappling with its revenue flows but we still make the city’s health
our top priority. We are still in the process of procuring the remaining materials
for interior furnishings and we have also engaged the Ministry of Health on the
process,” she said.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care took over the re-construction and
running of the hospital three years ago to accelerate the rehabilitation of the unit
as a Covid19 isolation centre.
Mutare Infectious Diseases Hospital which is run by the local council had failed
to meet their set deadline given by the Government for them to have completed
revamping the facility hence the Government’s decision to take over the facility.
Most of the super-structural works such as plumbing, electrical works, painting
and tiling of the unit were undertaken by the public works department.
Space has been allocated for an intensive care unit at the hospital, with a
capacity of four beds, oxygen infrastructure and equipment, once renovations
are complete. When finished, the hospital is expected to ease tuberculosis,
hypertension, and diabetes patients’ access to medical services.
Meanwhile, the construction of Hobhouse Polyclinic has resumed following a
court appeal by the local authority following a land tussle between Mutare City
Council and private land developer, Pillaton Construction.

The clinic has now at 15 percent of its construction with works expected to be
completed early next year.
However, despite progress on the creation of world class health facilities, the
local authority has been hit with a massive staff exodus in the health department
as employees seek greener pastures due to poor remuneration and working
conditions.
Ms Muyambuki said council was losing employees from the fire and health
departments, a situation that has affected council's capacity to provide effective
service.
" Our health department has not been spared from the massive exodus of
personnel in search of greener pastures due to poor remunerations. We are
facing a shortage of nurses in our clinics and hospitals which could force us to
shut down some of the institutions. We are making the best of the resources we
have and we continue to advertise for our vacant posts,” she said.
Despite council advertising vacancies for nurses, there have been poor response
to the posts as the health sectors suffers a foreign exodus of health personnel to
the United Kingdom.
Many are also opting for private clinics and hospitals that offer better
remuneration and packages.