Hospitals in the City of Kings need 500 beds and 200 ventilators for them to be fully ready to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunday News reports. The list of equipment needed in Bulawayo hospitals was compiled by the “I am for Bulawayo Fighting COVID-19 initiative” which is reportedly working with the government and the Bulawayo City Council to equip the hospitals to fight the pandemic.
According to the publication, the initiative needs US$10.7 Million to ensure that Mater Dei, Mpilo Hospital, Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital and Ekhusileni Medical Center are fully equipped to take on COVID-19 patients.
The initiative reportedly gave this breakdown and said:
The bio-medical response is aimed at strengthening health systems to reduce Covid-19 infections, morbidity and mortalities. The main activities being to secure equipment, that is 500 beds, 20 defibrillators, 200 ventilators, 10 dialysis machines, linen for the 500 beds, polymerase chain reaction test kits, generators and solar installations, hospital furniture and train health care providers and co-ordinate response.
For the social response, the aim is to sustain livelihoods, food and income security, psycho-social well-being of citizens during the Covid-19 season, with the activities being to provide food baskets or cash transfers, hygiene kits, and access to psycho-social services, and advocate for safe livelihood activities
More: Sunday News