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Herald Correspondent
Banket Hospital, which lost nearly 70 percent of its medical supplies when it was gutted by fire last week, has started receiving medical supplies from well-wishers, including a local mining company.

The hospital has since turned a room into a temporary pharmacy following the devastating fire that ravaged the greater part of its storeroom and pharmacy areas.

Medical supplies and drugs worth thousands of dollars were reportedly lost in the inferno.

Although the official cause of the fire was still to be determined, it is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault sparked by an explosion of alcohol-based sanitisers inside the warehouse, according to witnesses.

Speaking to The Herald , Zvimba medical officer, Dr Terrence Dandadzi said the hospital had since started receiving supplies from well wishers and the hospital had also purchased supplies from Natpharm.

“We started receiving supplies on Friday, two days after the incident,” he said. “A room was identified to act as a temporary pharmacy.

“We are also waiting for architectural plan from the public works department so that we start sourcing funds for the reconstruction of the damaged block.”

Dr Dandadzi said about 30 patients who were said to have been transferred to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital were still admitted at Banket Hospital and receiving medical attention.

Zvimba development co-ordinator, Mrs Faith Muzulu, said her office was still waiting for a report from the medical officer and the hospital to provide a detailed plan of the way forward.

Pan African Mining Pvt Ltd has so far donated to the hospital an assortment of Personal Protective Equipment valued at $300 000.

The mine’s human resources manager, Concillia Matanda said her company’s two clinics also rely on Banket Hospital for referral purposes.

Banket Hospital services more than 100 000 people from Zvimba South, Zvimba West and Zvimba East constituencies.