Lack of funds stall Thorngrove rehab

ABOUT $46 million is required to complete refurbishments at Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Isolation Centre in Bulawayo, but funds are in short supply, an official said yesterday. This was disclosed during a tour of the facility by the provincial inter ministerial task force on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thorngrove projects manager Partson Mashamba told the taskforce that $46 million was still needed to complete the project.

“We need about $46 million to finish the work, and this excludes the kitchen, laundry and administration block. Outstanding now is plastering, some bit of brick work, flooring, wall tiling and electrical works,” Mashamba said.

“For the isolation centre alone, we are looking to say by Sunday next week, we should be done, meaning the end of the month.”

The centre is one of the facilities which were designated to cater for coronavirus cases in Bulawayo alongside Ekusileni Medical Centre, the

United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and the Mpilo Central Hospital.

Mater Dei Private Hospital has already completed the refurbishment of its COVID-19 facility.

The taskforce also toured the UBH and Ekusileni to take stock of progress.

Mashamba said they were carrying out work that does not require funds.

He said they were currently installing 26 beds in the 40 bed medical facility.

Meanwhile, Ekusileni received a donation of $500 000 to reinstall a borehole pump that was stolen last week.

Addressing journalists, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube said she was happy with progress at Thorngrove.

“At Thorngrove, there is a lot that has been done,” Ncube said.

“Remember in our last visit, we were not happy at all, even the deputy minister was not happy. But today, I am happy because you can tell that men are at work. Indeed, they have done a lot because if you look at the extension, the roofing has been done; they are left with few things in the plastering.”