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Chronicle Reporter
THORNGROVE Infectious Diseases Hospital in Bulawayo has admitted its first Covid-19 patient.

The patient arrived at the hospital yesterday at around 4PM from an undisclosed location but is one of the five already confirmed Covid-19 patients in the city.

A Chronicle news crew observed from a distance, hospital staff disinfecting the area soon after the arrival of the patient and also observed the ambulance being sanitised.

Surfaces such as door handles, floors and counters were sprayed.

The health staff were wearing personal protective equipment which covered their entire body and was multi-layered.

The news crew was present when the team went out to collect the patient, however the identity and other indicators of identity such as place of residence of the patient were not disclosed.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu could not confirm that a patient had been admitted to the hospital as she said she had already knocked off from work, but confirmed that an ambulance had been dispatched to collect a Covid-19 patient.

“We are preparing to admit our first confirmed Covid-19 patient. Our ambulance is leaving now to pick the patient and we will give relevant updates as they come,” she said.

Earlier, BCC assistant director of health services Dr Khulamuzi Nyathi, while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a borehole donation ceremony, said the hospital was awaiting the arrival of its first Covid-19 positive.

He said there was need for confirmed patients to follow the strict rules of self-solation otherwise they will be admitted even when they are not very sick.

“We are admitting our first positive patient today and are awaiting the arrival of the patient. We have an oxygen tank and other equipment readily available where our patient will be housed. We have done our best in preparation. However, we still do not have the ventilators and the respirator machines. A mild patient can do with the oxygen tank that we have. We will be closely monitoring our patient and further actions will be guided accordingly,” said Dr Nyathi.

Reliable sources at the hospital however confirmed to the news crew that the patient had arrived, was stable and had settled well at the hospital’s isolation ward.

Meanwhile, Thorngrove Hospital received a borehole from Bravo Boreholes as more corporates contribute towards fighting Covid-19.

The borehole, which has already been sunk, is 60 metres deep and will have a 5 000-litre tank which is yet to be delivered.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony, Bravo Boreholes public relations officer Mr Morgan Msipha said the company had realised the need for uninterrupted water supply, hence the decision to gift the city with a borehole.

“We tried to identify areas where we can help as a company and to provide something that will not only help during the pandemic but will serve the hospital in years to come, also considering that we are facing a water crisis in the city. We are aiming for more engagements with the hospital as we know that this is a public facility and belongs to all of us, it is our duty to ensure that it has the services that we need when we need its services today or tomorrow,” he said.