MUTASA — The community in Mutasa district is now getting improved health care services after the Bonda Mission Hospital received equipment and machinery valued at over US$700 000.
REPORT BY CLAYTON MASEKESA
The equipment and machinery which includes state-of-the-art X-ray machines, an ambulance, a service vehicle, an industrial laundry machine and mattresses, was sourced by Mutasa Central Member of Parliament, Trevor Saruwaka of MDC-T.
Villagers who spoke to Standardcommunity said they were no longer travelling long distances to Mutare or Rusape to access medical services.
“Patients, especially those needing to get x-rays done, used to travel over 100km to hospitals in either Mutare or Rusape.
“We are happy that the community is now getting proper health services at our doorstep,” said Takudzwa Kuretu, a local resident.
Kenneth Mutungwazi said the coming in of the equipment and the upgrading of Bonda Mission Hospital had come as a relief to the community.
“We are now able to get medication and you can see that there is a great improvement,” he said. “Doctors and nursing staff are now willing to work at the hospital because staff accommodation and other buildings have been refurbished.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Mutungwazi added that the administrative block was now computerised while the tarred road had been resurfaced.
“This attracts doctors and nurses who have been shunning this place. With this development, our hospital is now one of the best in the country,” said Getrude Chidavaenzi, an elder from the local Anglican Church.
To ease the perennial water shortage, a 100 000-litre water tank was installed. Two full-time doctors are also now working at the hospital as part of the project.
Saruwaka said he was prompted to seek assistance for the upgrading of the institution after realising that its poor state, coupled with shortage of machinery was affecting the health delivery service in the area. The MP was once a patient at Bonda hospital in 1998.
“The hospital was in a shocking condition. I realised that such a big hospital had no ambulance and a service vehicle. There were no essential machinery and equipment. The situation was sad,” he said.
“I am now happy that the hospital has essential equipment for a good delivery of health system.”
The hospital also received three laptops, three desktop computers and a heavy duty photocopier, among other office consumables and accessories.
Under the project which started in March last year, the hospital is now fenced and its buildings painted, while the 400m access road was rehabilitated. Health and Child Welfare minister, Henry Madzorera, said Bonda hospital was an important referral hospital with a huge catchment area.
“We will always look into the pot of available resources to see how we can help,” he said.
Bonda hospital run by the Anglican Church is a referral hospital for Mutasa and other parts of Manicaland and can accommodate up to 200 patients including maternity patients.
It has a catchment area of over 100 000 people and it treats over 25 000 people every year.
