The Casualty Department at West-End, one of the biggest
private hospitals in Zimbabwe has been closed for two weeks now with 25 nurses
and six doctors on quarantine following the death of an elderly woman of
Covid-19 in the service centre’s Intensive Care Unit ward.
Going by volumes served, West End is probably the biggest
private hospital in Zimbabwe and it also serves the largest number of
Government employees on Public Service Medical Aid (PSMAS).
The department is expected to open on May 18, 2020,
according to a statement made to The Mirror by Premier Service Medical
Investment (PSMI) spokesperson, Obey Nhakura.
The Mirror understands that the entire staff complement was
tested at the time of the death of Mbuya Nguni, the mother of former Cabinet
Minister Sylvester Nguni and they were all negative. The whole hospital was
also disinfected.
A team of health practitioners is visiting them at their
respective homes every day to monitor them for symptoms. The Mirror understands
that none has developed any Covid -19 symptoms so far and they will go for
final tests before they are allowed to go back to work.
“In keeping with the guidelines given by the Ministry of
Health and Child Care, NSSA and WHO guidelines and protocols, West End Hospital
continues to collaborate and co-operate in terms of infection control, conduct
tracing and testing as well as isolation of affected members
“To that end, all West End Casualty employees and any of
their colleagues that came into contact with them will be tested for Covid-19
and self isolate for the next 21 days, according to the guidelines,” read the
statement.
Nhakura said that patients who normally use West End are
currently being referred to medical facilities run by PSMI until the unit is
reopened. For the wards, the hospital is admitting patients straight from the
specialists’ rooms, said Nhakura.
Masvingo Mirror
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