Story by Providence Maraneli
Beitbridge District Hospital is earmarked for expansion to cater for the rapid population growth and infrastructure development as the Second Republic targets to attain universal health coverage in line with Vision 2030.
The border town of Beitbridge has experienced rapid growth in population and infrastructure due to the US$300 million Beitbridge Modernisation Project.
The growth has, however, created a need for critical services like the health and wellness of the population.
As such there is consensus among stakeholders that Beitbridge District Hospital with its 140-bed capacity cannot sufficiently service the 60 000 residents and a transit population.
It is with this in mind that the government has set in motion plans to expand the hospital in line with the Vision 2030 drive.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Honourable Sleimani Kwidini said, “We have plans to expand this hospital to meet the demands of the growing population. We have also noticed that for years Beitbridge has been hit by disasters like the recent accident because it is between major highways and as such we need to make sure we modernise it. We are happy, in terms of medical supplies we are around 60 percent and we managed to handle a crisis during the accident.”
Beitbridge Hospital rose to the task after a horrific accident that claimed 25 people, with statistics showing no death to those admitted at the health facility.
“We are left with two patients, of which one is going to be discharged today and the other one is now in a stable condition. Of all the patients we took in, we managed to attend to them and we did not have any death,” noted Beitbridge Medical Superintendent Dr Lenos Samhere.
Beitbridge District Hospital is a referral centre for all the rural health service centres in Beitbridge district, serving 60 000 residents of the border town and transit population.
