Zimbabwe human rights doctors donate to fire-gutted Mpilo Hospital

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By Wallace Mawire

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has made a donation to Mpilo Central Hospital to support victims who were
affected by a fire that broke out at the hospital resulting in vast damages to property.

The incident happened on 26 May 2021 and affected health professionals at the hospital.

According to a ZADHR spokesperson, the donation comprised 33 Littman Stethoscopes, 45 grocery hampers, 102 blankets, 35 laboratory coats,33 medical scrubs, and 45 Truworths/Topics clothing vouchers.

ZADHR Secretary-General, Dr. Norman Matara handed over the donations to Mr Francis Chiwora, Mpilo Hospital Acting Clinical Director.

According to media reports, a block of flats housing doctors at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo was at night gutted by fire, damaging property worth US$500 000.

It was reported that Doctors and health workers jumped out of the building through windows as the fire spread.

The fire was reported to have affected 39 health workers and their families.

“We were lucky that no one was seriously injured. One person suffered a broken ankle and another had smoke inhalation effects but is in a stable condition,” News Day quoted Mpilo Central Hospital Acting Chief Executive Solwayo Ngwenya as saying.

Ngwenya is reported to have said that some residents reported seeing sparks from an electricity distribution box which they suspected could have caused the fire.

In 2019, the fire destroyed an adjacent hostel following an electrical fault.