MKHUZWENI Health Centre has been brought to a standstill after a violent storm tore through the area and surroundings on Tuesday, leaving extensive destruction in its wake.
The storm ripped off the health centre’s roof, exposing several wards to heavy rain and hail.
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Patients who had been admitted were immediately moved to other sections in the maternity wing for safety.
Damage was not limited to the wards, the maternity wing, the public health unit and the mortuary were also affected.
Some patients were transferred to Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital and Dvokolwako Health Centre.
When this publication arrived at the facility, hail still blanketed parts of the hospital grounds and uprooted vegetation surrounded the premises.
Public Health Administrator Mkhosi Khumalo was already on site assessing the damage alongside the clinic’s management team. The clinic has been without electricity since, water supply was also disrupted. The power outage was so severe that even the back-up generator was damaged after being soaked with water.
With the facility crippled, activity was minimal yesterday as staff worked tirelessly to clean up the aftermath.
Mkhuzweni Health Centre was not the only casualty of the storm. Numerous nearby homes were left in disrepair, some lost their roofs, others had shattered windows and many households were left with soaked furniture.
Road networks in parts of Mayiwane, particularly Mfasini and Mawombe, were also damaged.
Meanwhile, the ministry of health has moved swiftly to address the crisis. A team led by the Principal Secretary, working alongside Micro Projects, is already mobilising efforts to renovate the damaged facility.
Ministry of Health Communications Officer Nsindiso Tsabedze confirmed the severity of the situation and said the ministry was doing everything possible to restore the health centre. Tsabedze revealed that three contractors had been engaged due to the extensive damage, with the aim of speeding up the renovation process and ensuring the facility becomes operational again in the shortest time possible.
“The ministry would like to urge members of the public to use alternative health facilities for now, including Pigg’s Peak and Dvokolwako. We understand these may be far for some patients, but we are working to restore normalcy as soon as possible,” he said. He added that renovation work is expected to begin next Monday, at which point the ministry would also have the exact cost estimates and project timelines.
The outpatient department is expected to resume operations once power and water supply are restored, although services will remain limited to the OPD for the duration of the renovations.
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