Expand referral hospital, Govt told

SENATOR for Beitbridge constituency Cde Tambudzani Mohadi has urged Government to consider expanding facilities at the district referral hospital in line with the town’s rapid growth.

She said the 140-bed hospital was overstretched due to the ever growing population.

Beitbridge district has an estimated population of 180 000 and an additional 13 000 people pass through daily.

“We are very grateful to President Mnangagwa for upgrading our town to a municipality.

“We need to start working on expanding the current referral hospital and constructing more primary health care facilities in this town,” said Senator Mohadi.

“The few institutions we have are overstrained by both the ever increasing local and transit population, due to the town’s economic activity and proximity to South Africa.

“In addition, we need to reopen the major hotels, which closed two years ago.

“We can’t have a town with limited accommodation facilities”.

She said it was also important to construct rehabilitation centre for drug addicts considering that the drug abuse was rife, especially among the youths.

Acute resource shortages at the hospital, have become perennial due to a mismatch between the hospital needs and allocations in the National Budget.

“The hospital must be given the attention and the status it deserves,” said Senator Mohadi.