Gaths Mine new isolation centre for Masvingo
MASVINGO has intensified its battle to contain the spread of Covid-19 following the designation of Gaths Mine Hospital in Mashava as the new provincial isolation centre.
Gaths Mines Hospital is the province’s biggest health institution and has a capacity of between 300 and 500 beds depending on spacing specifications.
Its designation as the new provincial Covid-19 isolation centre will add momentum to the province’s preparations to tame the virus.
Prior to this, Masvingo province relied on the eight-bed Rujeko Clinic in Masvingo City as the provincial isolation centre, a move that sparked fears the province would struggle to cope in case of a major outbreak.
Following last Sunday’s visit here by Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to assess Masvingo’s state of preparedness, the provincial Covid-19 taskforce resolved to identify a bigger isolation centre and settled for Gaths Mine Hospital.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also the deputy chair of the national Covid-19 taskforce, toured isolation facilities across Masvingo and expressed concern over shortage of intensive care unit facilities in the province.
She warned the province would struggle with extreme cases of the deadly virus owing to lack of ICU facilities.
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), which has a long lease for Mashava Mine properties in Mashava then offered the idle Gaths Mine Hospital to be the new provincial isolation centre.
“We sat down as a taskforce for the province to look at how best we could address the grey areas raised by Minister Muchinguri and that is when GZU offered us Gaths Mine Hospital,” said Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Cde Ezra Chadzamira.
“The hospital has between 300 and 500 beds, making it the biggest in the province with the actual capacity for Covid-19 patients set to be determined by spacing arrangements. Everything is almost intact at the facility save for the need for a few touch ups on the ceiling and floor.”
Minister Chadzamira said Gaths Mine was suitable as a provincial isolation Centre because it had a fully equipped and functional ICU.
“We have also reserved a compartment at Masvingo Provincial Hospital that will be equipped with ICU facilities to support the main centre that has been opened at Gaths Mine Hospital,” he said.
The Covid-19 provincial taskforce had also set a two week-deadline for work on all isolation centres across Masvingo to have been completed making them ready to take in patients.
Minister Chadzamira expressed general satisfaction with the ground covered so far.
The taskforce, he said was working on a few issues, especially in the area of personal protective clothing for health workers and making sure isolation facilities met World Health Organisation standards.
GZU donated several ambulances for Covid-19 emergencies, while four other vehicles in need of minor touch ups and adjustments were in line for mobilisation as ambulances.
This, he said, would augment the existing fleet and other vehicles availed by donors, bringing to over 10, the number of ambulances specifically reserved for the Covid-19 fight.
Masvingo is yet to record its first Covid19 case.