Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday opened a state-of-the-art infectious diseases hospital in Kwekwe, a development that is in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which emphasises infrastructure development in tandem with global standards.
The infectious diseases hospital was constructed by Kwekwe
City Council using devolution funds.
The new-look hospital is tooled with all Covid-19-related
treatment equipment and has 25 beds after the beerhall and administration rooms
were redesigned and turned into hospital wards.
VP Chiwenga commended the local authority for what he said
was a “rare feat” and noble change of use of an infrastructure, which should be
emulated by all local authorities.
“This is a first in Kwekwe, a first in the province and a
first in the country as a whole, to turn a bar into a hospital,” said VP
Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care.
“Kwekwe City must be commended for this and all local
authorities should emulate this.”
VP Chiwenga said the economy can only grow when manned and
presided over by healthy people, adding that other local authorities should
work on establishing more clinics and hospitals.
“This is a positive change use of infrastructure which must
be emulated by other cities and towns in the country,” he said.
“It’s better to preserve health care than to wine and dine.
I want to congratulate Kwekwe City they have done well.”
VP Chiwenga said such medical infrastructural development
will contribute significantly to the attainment of an upper middle class
society by 2030 as enunciated by President Mnangagwa. He bemoaned the low
numbers of people who have received vaccination in Kwekwe.
VP Chiwenga said Government expected economic hubs such as
Kwekwe City to attain herd immunity.
“There are economic zones like Victoria Falls and Hwange,
they have already attained 100 percent herd immunity, but what is worrying is
that Kwekwe, which is an industrial hub with a lot of mining activities, is
still to attain herd immunity at 31 percent,” he said.
VP Chiwenga castigated individuals who were suing
Government for rolling out vaccination programmes and calling for mandatory
vaccination.
The individuals, whom he described as selfish, hide behind
human rights and individual freedoms.
“It is disturbing to note that there are some people from
here in Kwekwe who are refusing to be vaccinated and have taken Government to
court against its vaccination programme,” said VP Chiwenga.
“Whilst people have their individual rights and freedoms,
those rights can be limited in the interest of public health such as the
Covid-19 pandemic, which is ravaging the world.
“A person can say he or she has individual rights and
freedoms; it’s your right, but you don’t need to go out there and expose other
people to Covid-19 because you are not vaccinated.”
VP Chiwenga said those who wanted to exercise their
freedoms should not expose others by walking in public.
“Those who are suing government have their mission to set
an agenda to the outside world to believe there is confusion in Zimbabwe,” he
said. “No, we are trying to protect the general public, we won’t allow that.
“If it’s your right, you must stay indoors, that is what we
have said. You don’t need to go out and expose others, but while inside your
house, if you expose your children and wife to Covid-19 you are also
answerable.”
VP Chiwenga said the fight against Covid-19 required
collective efforts, including individual responsibilities. Chronicle
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