Public Works Dept 'blocks' Dongamuzi Rural Health Centre construction

RURAL DIGITAL FOCUS


A private contractor engaged and tasked to construct a rural health centre in Dongamuzi, Lupane was stopped by Public Works Department which pledged to build the facility.

The unnamed private contractor had been engaged in October this year but the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Matabeleland North Province office was later advised against going with the contractor, Parliament heard.

During a written submission to question with notice session on 10 November, legislators heard that an annual budget allocation was made to construct Dongamuzi Rural Health Centre in Lupane West Constituency.

Legislator Martin Khumalo sought to find out when construction would commence as funding was availed 'over the year and yet no work has been done to date'.

In response, Deputy Health Minister, John Mangwiro revealed that Public Works Department is stalling the construction.

''A private contractor had been secured to start work around mid-October 2021 but the Public Works Department advised the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Matabeleland North Province, not to engage a private contractor as the department is going to do the construction '' Mangwiro disclosed.

''Up to now, the Public Works Department has not commenced construction of the said clinic. The Ministry of Health and Child Care, Matabeleland North Provincial Director, will submit a full report on the matter''.

In 2018, Matabeleland North provincial medical director Nyasha Masuka was quoted saying the Health ministry was undertaking the Dongamuzi Rural District Health centre with a budget allocation pegged at $100 000.

Masuka said the project was "scheduled to commence as soon as the material is all delivered on-site and the community is eagerly waiting to assist in the construction of the clinics as evidenced by the fact that they have been mobilising local available materials like the pit sand and homemade quarry stones. Cement is being supplied by Unicem and the arrangement to collect it in batches has been made with the supplier''.

Government hospitals and clinics are currently understaffed, poorly equipped, underfunded and face a critical drug shortage, compromising service delivery but the Second Republic is determined to remedy the situation.