Zimpapers Logo

Elita Chikwati

Senior Reporter

The District Development Fund (DDF), through its public works projects, has brought relief to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after sinking nine boreholes, which are going to boost water supply at the health institution.

Some sections of the hospital, especially the upper rooms have not been receiving water due to inadequate supplies.

Parirenyatwa Hospital relied on council for water and was no longer getting supplies everyday, prompting DDF to intervene.

DDF is a Government department under the office of the President and Cabinet tasked with the development and maintenance of infrastructure, water supplies, road services, hire of plant and equipment, and tillage services. The department’s director for water supplies and maintenance, Mr Edwin Toriro said they had identified 11 sites and the nine that had already been drilled were high yielding and going to make significant impact in terms of improving water supply at the institution. The water from the boreholes will be pumped into a 2,5 million cubic metre tank that supplies the hospital.

“We have surveyed, drilled, installed as well as equipped the boreholes and they are now depositing the water. We are just waiting for Government analysts to carry out chemical analysis to see if the water is suitable for drinking and surgical equipment in the hospital,” he said.

“We have carried out similar work at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and the other provincial hospitals.”

Mr Toriro said they were also working on similar projects at isolation centres that have been identified in the rural areas.

“We have deployed our teams in the rural areas to carry out hydrogeological investigations and drilling boreholes. We also have a parallel activity, which is water distribution. We have mobilised lorries, which are installed with water tanks that are distributing water to areas experiencing shortages,” he said.

The department, he said has also been directed by Cabinet to work with youths and communities in repairing non-functional water points in the rural areas.

“DDF is the forerunner in mitigating such challenges in terms of budgetary provisions. We were allocated $26 million. Last week we got 12,5 million and we are waiting for additional funds,” he said.

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, director of operations Mr Edson Mundenda hailed DDF for the intervention.

Meanwhile, DDF has started the rehabilitating 700 boreholes across Mashonaland West province, with an intention of providing people with clean and safe water during and after the Covid-19 pandemic era.

The drive seeks to complement DDF’s borehole drilling initiatives at all the quarantine and isolation centres in the province.

DDF Mashonaland West coordinator, Erikana Chikande, said during the deployment of water bowsers to isolation and quarantine centres as a mitigating factor against water challenges at the centres, that 100 boreholes were earmarked for rehabilitation in all the seven districts across the province.

“We are currently working to rehabilitate 100 boreholes in each district so as to eradicate water challenges at every level of our communities,” he said. “Ministries of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation, and Women Affairs will provide labour during the rehabilitation process.

“We have also started drilling boreholes to service our isolation and quarantine centres, as a temporary measure, we have planned to deploy water bowsers to those centres that face water challenges.”

He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care will provide names of the centres that require water bowsers.