By Own Correspondent- Shurugwi South legislator Edmond Mkaratigwa has revealed that communities in his constituency are preserving their deceased the traditional way since there is no mortuary.

Mkaratigwa implored government to upgrade the hospital which he said was the district hospital which serviced the constituency.

He said this while reacting to a motion moved by Goodluck Kwaramba on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s first State of the Nation Address.

He said:

“In Shurugwi South Constituency, we have contributed to the servicing of a host of clinics notably Chikato, Zvamatenga, Dorset, Gundura and so on. We have also provided roofing material and electrical accessories to some of these clinics and schools, for example Matamba and Rusike.

However, Wards 8 and 11 have no clinics at all and it is my priority during my five-year term of office to facilitate the construction of the same. I have facilitated the funding of two medical outreach programmes and supplied pharmaceuticals to all clinics in my constituency.

Nonetheless, Zvamavande Rural District Hospital, which is central in the constituency needs a resident doctor, diagnostic and modern theatre equipment to undertake surgical operations.

As if that was not enough, the mortuary at Zvamavande Hospital is out of service, forcing residents to take their deceased and preserve them in a traditional way on the sand at home.

My plea to the Ministry of Health and Child Care is that, may this hospital be properly upgraded and well equipped. The upgrade is imperative and should incorporate a state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility.

Having said that, there is need to upgrade accommodation for all medical staff in the constituency. In total, we have 24 health facilities in the constituency, none of which are ready to handle any form of emergency.”