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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

The structures of the 22-bed Harare South Health Centre in Hopley suburb are now complete under the Government -unded programme to construct 32 hospitals countrywide with the contractor now focusing on finishing touches.

Our news crew visited the centre yesterday where it observed notable progress following the completion of structures for the male and female wards, theatre, maternity wards, out-patient department, immunisation section and a laboratory.

NMS contractors had finished roofing three separate buildings. with the laying of the floors in progress.

A storm water drain was being erected in the fenced institution.

Acting director, hospital planning and project management Engineer Frank Chiku said Covid-19 had delayed the completion of the project.

“Completion of Stoneridge was slated for September but because of the Covid-19 lockdown, we revised our timelines,” he said.

Eng Chiku said the first phase of the 32 turnkey hospitals targeted four health facilities, the Stoneridge Centre in Harare South, Bulawayo, Mataga in Mberengwa, and Chimanimani with the next phase set for next year.

Harare South legislator Cde Tongai Mnangagwa said upon completion, the health facility would transform service delivery in the southern suburbs.

Cde Mnangagwa said the development agenda was in line with the vision of the Second Republic to undertake a massive infrastructure development and social investment programme aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle income society by 2030.

The hospitals are being built to very similar plans on turnkey contracts, under which structural works and the provision of the equipment are all done together.

Apart from the hospitals, the Government is spearheading road construction and upgrading countrywide under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme as enunciated in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Under the NDS1, the building of world class infrastructure and provision of key social services have been identified as key enablers for sustainable socio-economic development.