Lupane hospital now 70 percent complete

STEADY progress has been made in the construction of Lupane Provincial Hospital, which will improve access to healthcare services in Matabeleland North.

Construction of the hospital had false starts since 2004 before the Second Republic deliberately set aside funding for the hospital which will be the first referral institution in the province.

Matabeleland North, which has a population of at least 700 000, has been using St Luke’s as the provincial hospital and at times patients were being referred to Bulawayo for medical care.

A weekly project report shows that the hospital’s central stores building is now 70 percent complete while the pharmacy is 65 percent.

The casualty is 70 percent; the out-patient department stands at 67 percent with both twin buildings having been roofed completely with electrical tubing.

Progress at t he administration block stands at 65 percent and electrical works at the same building are in progress.

The report also states that the maternity admissions ward, theatre and paediatric wards are 32 percent, 17,5 percent and 56 percent complete respectively.

“Construction at the surgical ward is also progressing well as poured concrete deck slab is 100 percent while brickwork for the first floor is in progress,” the report stated.

“Workers will soon do shuttering of the first-floor deck for the eye and dental clinic whose progress is at 15 percent.”

The hospital has 58 workers on site and projections are that it will be completed by year-end.

Upon completion, Lupane Provincial Hospital will see the training of health specialists at that institution in line with the ongoing restructuring of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, a process which will result in the availing of top-notch health services locally.

Matabeleland North secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ms Sithandiwe Ncube said there was steady progress at the hospital which will see members of the public accessing it soon.

“So much work is currently going on in various departments as indicated by the progress report,” she said. “We appreciate the efforts by the Second Republic under the leadership of His Excellency Dr ED Mnangagwa.

“We are hopeful that very soon this massive institution will open its doors to Matabeleland North communities. Its completion will usher in more economic activities in the provincial capital Lupane and we rest assured that this province will never be the same.”