BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE/TAPFUMANEI MUCHABAIWA LUPANE Provincial hospital in Matabeleland North Province is set to become the biggest hospital in the country upon its completion despite being constructed at a snail’s pace.
This was revealed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a Zanu PF campaign rally in Binga on Saturday.
“We have Lupane Provincial hospital in Matabeleland North. It had taken years and years of not being constructed. I then took a soldier and appointed him as the Health Minister (Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga) who is building the hospital, and that hospital will be the biggest hospital in all the provinces,” Mnangagwa said.
Last year, government allocated $47 million for construction of the hospital, as the province relied on St Luke’s for health services, while critically-ill patients were referred to Bulawayo.
Lupane Hospital has a 250-bed capacity.
Matabeleland North is the only province in the country without a provincial hospital.
Last year, Chiwenga said the completion of the hospital was at the top of the government’s priority list.
Recently provincial medical director Admire Kuretu told Southern Eye that contractors were concentrating on the casualty and outpatients’ department.
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“They are also finishing health staff residences, which will accommodate eight families per floor as the building is a two-storey one,” he said.
Mnangagwa’s rally during the weekend resulted in the cancellation of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally which was scheduled for March 15.
The police turned down the CCC party’s rally saying Mnangagwa was due to visit the province.
CCC Binga North candidate Prince Dubeko Sibanda yesterday told NewsDay that despite the cancellation of their rally and Mnangagwa’s weekend promises, his party would retain the seat.
Sibanda was recalled in 2019 by the MDC T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
During his address at the weekend, Mnangagwa promised to give 31 fishing rigs to the people of Binga.
“ED is not a factor in our politics. I am winning back the constituency. I do not sell anything other than the fact that we have our story as the Tonga people. I am the hope of Lwano lwaba Tonga (the narration of the story of the BaTonga people),” Sibanda said.
Binga is in a sorry state despite being endowed with tourism facilities. Roads linking Siabuwa and the Chirundu highway through Musambakaruma have been neglected over the years.
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