Thokozani Khuphe tours schools and hospitals
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By GETRUDE GUMEDE
Published: July 16, 2009
Related
ZIMBABWE – BEITBRIDGE – Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe on Thursday visited Beitbridge to assess the situation at the local hospital and schools in the district.
Khupe said the aim of the tour was to get first hand information on the challenges faced by the social institutions throughout the country.
She however, expressed concern over the poor state of the Beitbridge District Hospital and the local schools she toured, saying there was an urgent need to address the problems.
“The mission of this tour is to have an assessment of the social sector in the district so that I get a better understanding of the problems faced by the local community and really I must say that the situation is not very good at all, especially if you look at our schools where both pupils and teachers are operating under difficult conditions characterised by shortage of books, furniture and in some schools we also noted that there was no reliable water supply, which in itself poses a health hazard,” she said.
Khupe said despite the financial challenges, Government would continue to explore various ways aimed at securing funds to address the problems as a matter of urgency.
“We are aware that a lot needs to be done to address the situation and as Government we will do our best to try and resolve these challenges. We are saying we need to equip our hospitals as well as ensure that our schools are well equipped with the necessary material and as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the social sector, I am going to do a fund-raising to get the money.
“In fact as the country’s leadership we need to go to the people and see for ourselves the situation on the ground so that we appreciate the really challenges and then speak from an informed position,” she said.
“As a short-term measure we want to ensure that our hospitals and schools are at least operating at minimal.”
She said that the Government was committed to prioritising health and education, adding that they would soon be putting proper monitoring mechanisms to save the two sectors from collapsing.
“We want to ensure that the learning environment at our schools is conducive, hence the need to resolve these problems,” she said.
Khupe toured Beitbridge District Hospital, Lutumba SDA Primary School, Nuli Primary and Old Nuli Primary School.
At the schools she visited, the headmasters highlighted the major challenges they were facing, which included shortage of books, furniture, classrooms and lack of teaching staff.
Speaking during the same occasion, the local district medical officer, Dr Nyasha Masuka told the DPM that among the major challenges faced at the local hospital were the shortage of drugs, a non functional theatre, which has resulted in the institution suspending operations by caesarean section.
Khupe, who was accompanied by the Principal Director in her office, Thandiwe Hlabangana, the Provincial Director of Education for Matabeleland South, Tebogo Thabela and the local Provincial Administrator, David Mpofu on Wednesday visited Gwanda district.
She is expected to tour Bulilima and Mangwe districts in Plumtree on Friday.– The Zimbabwe Telegraph.