Harare — Farmers in Mashonaland Central have been called to adopt Bindura Provincial Hospital. Bindura Ward 2 Councillor Theresa Mutandadzi made the call yesterday during a stakeholder meeting convened to find ways of helping the health institution.

The hospital faces a critical water shortage among an array of other problems such as insufficient linen, detergents and food for patients. Cde Mutandadzi said farmers who benefited from the land reform programme had an obligation to support the health institution. "As farmers, we should organise ourselves and ensure we support the hospital. Before the land reform, this hospital was on its wheels because of commercial farmers who used to assist.

"Since Government empowered us through land, we should therefore as farmers organise ourselves and adopt the institution by providing the basics," she said. The stakeholders, among them senior bankers and provincial heads of departments, were unanimous that the health institution was in a desperate situation that needed

the local community's urgent attention. The hospital's medical superintendent, Dr Beauty Basile, said the institution had in the past received donations but the situation had gone out of hand as the hospital could not secure some basics such as detergents. The stakeholders agreed to form a steering committee that would organise a fund-raising ceremony for the institution and implement long-term solutions for problems such as water and electricity.