Africa Press-Nigeria:
KUDA Tagwirei’s Sakunda Holdings has promised to take safer measures during its intended construction of a medical facility set to cater for coronavirus patients in Zimbabwe.
This follows a High Court challenge filed by Harare resident Roger Stringer seeking to block the turning of an upmarket clinic owned by jailed Zanu PF politician Munyaradzi Kereke into an isolation centre for coronavirus patients.
The hospital, Rock Foundation Medical Centre is situated in Harare’s low-density suburb of Mt Pleasant.
In his court challenge filed last Saturday, Rogers insists the construction of the medical facility to deal with the highly infectious disease within his neighbourhood would endanger his life and those of other residents.
Stringer is being represented by Jeremiah Bamu and Obey Shava of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
The Harare resident also insists his right to an environment that is not harmful to his health or well-being was about to be violated.
He further argued that no measures have been or are being put in place to minimise the risk to himself, family and other residents of contracting the dreaded disease.
Stringer also argued the medical facility’s sewer reticulation system was linked to that of his neighbourhood, thereby increasing the risk of getting the ailment.
The hospital is said to be built by Sakunda Holdings and Health Minister Obadiah Moyo.
But in a notice of opposition, Sakunda Holdings tried to allay Stringer’s fears by claiming his close proximity to the medical facility did not endanger anybody’s life.
The company, represented by Norman Chimuka and Nigel Sithole, argued that Stringer’s fears should not be allowed to stand in the way of a public project.
In setting up the medical facility, Sakunda Holdings claims it was assisting and augmenting government’s efforts to fight coronavirus outrightly on a charity basis and for the public good and nothing more.
It further argues the public stands to benefit from services offered by the medical facility.
Sakunda Holdings argues the hospital will operate with the assistance of experts who will ensure any hazards to the community were eliminated.
Sakunda Holdings also denied being in any form of partnership with Ministry of Health and Child Care to upgrade Rock Foundation Medical Centre, but was doing it for “God” and not for any profit making purpose.
