ZLHR threatens legal action against ZINWA, ZETDC, MoHCC over Ngomahuru Mental Hospital

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has threatened legal action against, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC), and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) over the water situation at Ngomahuru Mental Hospital .

ZLHR lawyer Martin Mureri has written to three entities demanding immediate restoration of water supplies at the Ngomahuru Mental Hospital where patients are said to have been forced to bath in a river for more than a month.

“In our letter, we raised concerns over the taking of both female & male patients at the same time to take a bath at Magwangwadza River, located about 1km away from Ngomahuru Mental Hospital and that patients are being put to great risk of drowning or being attacked by crocodiles.

“We also highlighted that the right to health of patients & the community is being seriously compromised in light of the current COVID19 pandemic & other diseases,” said ZLHR.

The lawyers body also noted that the community is also at risk as patients who are supposed to be confined in a mental institution are being released into the community without safety measures being taken.

“We emphasised that the obtaining situation at Ngomahuru Mental Hospital is untenable & an affront to the dignity of the mental institution.

“We warned zinwawater, ZetdcOfficial, MoHCCZim that failure to restore water supplies will leave us with no option but to take legal action against them without further notice,” warned ZLHR.

-Zwnews