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Thupeyo Muleya-Beitbridge Bureau

Community members here have pooled resources to rehabilitate ambulances and service vehicles at Beitbridge District Hospital which had become obsolete.

The members — operating under the name “Friends of Beitbridge Hospital” — have since delivered three ambulances to the District Civil Protection Committee.

One of the ambulances, a Mazda B2200, was delivered in April while two others — a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Mazda BT50 — were handed over to the health institution yesterday.

The first ambulance was fixed at a cost of R13 000, while $152 000 and US$1 650 was used to rehabilitate the Toyota Land Cruiser and Mazda BT50, respectively.

Friends of Beitbridge chairman Mr Walter Mutero said their target was to raise at least R200 000 to fix five ambulances and three service vehicles which have been grounded for over a decade.

“We have come together as the community of Beitbridge and we have partnered businessmen, corporates and community leaders to restore health services at our local hospital,” said Mr Mutero.

“In April we brought another ambulance and today we have brought two more ambulances which we have rehabilitated.

“We have launched a raffle, so that we may be able to raise funds to fix all the five remaining grounded vehicles”.

He said among the prices to be won at the raffle in August were cell phones, a fridge, and a television set.

Mr Mutero said those willing to assist the health institution may contact the committee’s treasury (Mr Peter Zvenyika) at Border Service Station.

The District Civil Protection Committee focal person Mr Jahson Mugodzwa said the gesture by the community will enhance the committee’s response to health-related disasters.

He said other corporates and people around the region should emulate the efforts.

“We do hope that more people will join in and contribute towards this noble cause,” said Mr Mugodzwa.

The acting district medical officer Dr Tafadzwa Nyeve said it was very critical for the hospital to have a good fleet of vehicles to service the entire Beitbridge district.

He said the contributions from the community will go a long way in addressing some of the hospital’s operational challenges.

The hospital among other issues is short of service vehicles and ambulances.

Before the latest intervention, authorities at Beitbridge District Hospital were relying on one ambulance to service a local population of 250 000 people and an additional of 13 000 in transit daily.

The Herald understands that currently, the institution is operating with a 1990s staff establishment.

As a result, human and material resources to cater for patients being are overstretched due to its location in Sadc, and country’s busiest port of entry, and increased annual population growth.