BY NUNURAI JENA
The Health and Child Care ministry has begun investigating a case of fraud at Makonde Christian Hospital, formerly Mhangura Christian Hospital, in Mashonaland West where a contractor was paid US$20 000 for incomplete work.
Unicef availed US$20 000 for the setting up of a Covid-19 isolation centre at Makonde Christian Hospital to alleviate effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in rural Makonde.
The money given to the Health and Child Care ministry was meant to be used by December 31, 2020 failure which it was to be returned to the donor as per policy.
The Health ministry in conjunction with the public works department in the Local Government ministry called for tenders to refurbish the isolation centre at the church-run Makonde Christian Hospital and only two companies, including Blaines World Construction showed interest.
The renovation works were not completed despite the contract being paid in full, resulting in the latest probe.
Ministry of Health officials visited the institution last week as part of the investigation.
Although the media was not part of the meeting, The Standard crew was at the venue where the ministry officials also inspected the incomplete isolation centre.
“The whole deal stinks a lot and needs to be uncovered. But the meeting ignored important issues like why was a certificate of completion produced when the work was incomplete and why tender procedures were not followed. Nothing is being said about it,” sources said.
Mashonaland West acting provincial medical director, Gift Masoja confirmed that the meeting agreed that the contractor must finish the incomplete job.
“Yes the meeting agreed that the contractor must complete the unfinished work with additional cost of materials to be purchased,” Masoja said.
A Makonde villager Clayton Vambe, who lost his uncle to Covid-19 in July, said people must be held accountable because lives could have been saved if the isolation centre was functional.
“Something should be done to those who bungled the contract because lives could have been saved if tender procedures were followed,” Vambe said.
Blaines World Construction director Bigboy Mpande refused to comment, referring questions to the Health ministry.
The isolation centre was supposed to be completed in December 2020.