Gwanda community has hailed one of the country’s biggest gold producers Caledonia Mining Corporation owned Blanket Mine in Gwanda for building a Covid-19 isolation centre at Phakama Clinic in Gwanda.
Rudairo Mapuranga
Blanket, in 2020 completed building two isolation wards at Phakama clinic through its efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe.
The two isolation wards built by the mine in Gwanda have 10 beds each, a 135L autoclave machine for sterilization, an anaesthetic machine, a ventilator and two multiple parameter monitors.
A nurse at Phakama clinic thanked Caledonia Mining Corporation’s gesture to build the Covid-19 isolation centre which is secure for both the patient and health workers as the temporary structure which has been put in place by the government was not safe for health practioners.
“We are overjoyed with this facility built by Blanket Mine. We did not have a clue where we could house patients who had COVID-19. We had a temporary structure which we were afraid to go into but Blanket Mine has built a facility which is safe for both the health worker and the patient,” the nurse said.
Blanket mine General Manager and Director Caxton Mangezi said the mine values corporate social responsibility and in the time of the pandemic the mine needed to show and practise its culture for the benefit of the Gwanda community.
“The concept of giving back has always been the part of Blanket Mine corporate culture, every year we support local initiatives that positively impact the community around us and beyond as a socially responsible corporate citizens we go about our business mindful of how we can positively impact the health, education, agriculture,“ he said.
Gwanda Town Clerk P Nkala said Gwanda Municipality was delighted by Blanket mine in showing it cares for the wellbeing of the people of Gwanda in its effort to curb the spread of the covid-19 pandemic.
“The Municipality of Gwanda is really enthused by this gesture considering the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nkala said.
According to the Mayor of Gwanda Councilor N Siziba over the years Blanket Mine has always shown that the miner is not only a sustainable pillar of health but a sustainable pillar in all aspects of life.