THORNGROVE Infectious Diseases Hospital in Bulawayo has
admitted its first Covid-19 patient.
The patient arrived at the hospital yesterday at around 4PM
from an undisclosed location but is one of the five already confirmed Covid-19
patients in the city.
A Chronicle news crew observed from a distance, hospital
staff disinfecting the area soon after the arrival of the patient and also
observed the ambulance being sanitised.
Surfaces such as door handles, floors and counters were
sprayed. The health staff were wearing personal protective equipment which
covered their entire body and was multi-layered.
The news crew was present when the team went out to collect
the patient, however the identity and other indicators of identity such as
place of residence of the patient were not disclosed.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) senior public relations officer
Mrs Nesisa Mpofu could not confirm that a patient had been admitted to the
hospital as she said she had already knocked off from work, but confirmed that
an ambulance had been dispatched to collect a Covid-19 patient.
“We are preparing to admit our first confirmed Covid-19
patient. Our ambulance is leaving now to pick the patient and we will give
relevant updates as they come,” she said.
Earlier, BCC assistant director of health services Dr
Khulamuzi Nyathi, while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a borehole
donation ceremony, said the hospital was awaiting the arrival of its first
Covid-19 positive.
He said there was need for confirmed patients to follow the
strict rules of self-solation otherwise they will be admitted even when they
are not very sick.
“We are admitting our first positive patient today and are
awaiting the arrival of the patient. We have an oxygen tank and other equipment
readily available where our patient will be housed. We have done our best in
preparation. However, we still do not have the ventilators and the respirator
machines. A mild patient can do with the oxygen tank that we have. We will be
closely monitoring our patient and further actions will be guided accordingly,”
said Dr Nyathi.
Reliable sources at the hospital however confirmed to the
news crew that the patient had arrived, was stable and had settled well at the
hospital’s isolation ward.
Meanwhile, Thorngrove Hospital received a borehole from
Bravo Boreholes as more corporates contribute towards fighting Covid-19.
The borehole, which has already been sunk, is 60 metres
deep and will have a 5 000-litre tank which is yet to be delivered.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony, Bravo Boreholes
public relations officer Mr Morgan Msipha said the company had realised the
need for uninterrupted water supply, hence the decision to gift the city with a
borehole.
“We tried to identify areas where we can help as a company
and to provide something that will not only help during the pandemic but will
serve the hospital in years to come, also considering that we are facing a
water crisis in the city. We are aiming for more engagements with the hospital
as we know that this is a public facility and belongs to all of us, it is our
duty to ensure that it has the services that we need when we need its services
today or tomorrow,” he said. Chronicle
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