MUTARE Provincial Hospital was overwhelmed by the number of
patients taken to the referral institution after Saturday’s bus accident which
occurred at the 218-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare highway.
The death toll has risen to 16. Fourteen people died on the
spot when a General Bande bus collided with a haulage truck at around 5pm,
while two more died on admission to the hospital.
Out of the 40 injured and taken to the hospital, 24 were
still admitted by yesterday, with one of them in the Intensive Care Unit.
In her presentation to stakeholders that included Minister
of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, provincial
Joint Operations Committee, Civil Protection Unit members and the media, Mutare
Provincial Hospital representative Sister Fortunate Sigauke said the hospital
was overwhelmed, noting challenges faced in the X-ray department.
“I received a phone call informing me that there had been a
bus disaster,” she said.
“There was a quick response from our medical staff, nurses
and doctors. The delay was in the X-ray department because of shortage of manpower. We had challenges in the X-ray department
where the machine was not sufficiently equipped to cater for the patients we
had at that particular moment.
“The first casualties came in with well-wishers. The
ambulance service providers then chipped in. We are really thankful to those
who chipped in.”
Dr Gwaradzimba bemoaned the existence of one X-ray machine
at the hospital.
“I am concerned about the state of preparedness,” she said.
“I am told that the response was not as quick as the injured persons expected,
our ambulances, and in terms of all the help that was rendered.
“We need to do more as a nation. We only have one person in
the ICU and we pray that the number of those that are deceased remains at 16.
“I think we cannot rely on just one X-ray machine for such
a big provincial referral hospital. Right now we have people with multiple
fractures.
“Probably what we await at the moment is the pronouncement
by His Excellency on the state of disaster which I believe the accident already
qualifies for that because we have 16 people who died.”
Dr Gwaradzimba said they will contact the Mozambican
Consulate in Mutare to assist in linking up relatives of a Mozambican national
who was injured in the accident.
Econet, through its Community Social Responsibility anchor
partner Higher Life Foundation, provided food for the bereaved during funeral
services and pledged further assistance in medication for the injured.
Higher Life Foundation will provide school fees for
children orphaned as a result of the accident.
Dr Gwaradzimba thanked Higher Life Foundation for the
assistance. Herald
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