The Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, which is in the central part of China on 31 December 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a “public health emergency of International concern” on 8 February 2020 due to its rapid spread and transmission rate among humans.
The Government of Zimbabwe declared Covid-19 a “National Disaster” on March 27, 2020 and initiated a nationwide lockdown on March 30.
The government started constructing medical Isolation Centres as an intervention to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Pakama medical isolation centre in Gwanda District took five months to complete with funding from Government and Blanket Mine. It was commissioned to the Ministry of Health and Child care on 11 February 2020.
“The Isolation Centre came about in last year when we had rising cases of COVID-19,” said Dr. Blessed Gwarimbo Acting Medical Superintendent at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 80% of people with COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms.
“The twenty-two bedded health facility with four ICU beds in each ward focuses on the treatment of mild to severe cases of COVID-19,” Says Dr. Gwarimbo.
Since the day it was commissioned, Dr. Gwarimbo said, “five patients were admitted and discharged”.
The Isolation Centre has a staff complement of twenty-six health workers seconded from the Ministry of Health and Child Care. A doctor visits when there is a need to see patients and discharge.
The equipment according to Dr Gwarimbo, one anaesthetic, four ventilators, four monitors and twelve extraction machines were all purchased by the Blanket mine.
Pakama Isolation facility adds to the other COVID-19 isolation centres such as Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital and Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare Metropolitan Province; Victoria Falls Beat Aids (Matabeleland North), Rujeko Clinic and Mashava Gaths Mine Hospital (Masvingo Province), Beitbridge and Plumtree District Hospitals (Matabeleland South Province), Chinengundu Clinic (Mashonaland West Province) and Chipadze Training Center and Guruve District Hospital in Mashonaland Central Province.
