Arron Nyamayaro
A bar located near a maternity hospital is facing revocation of its operating licence following petitions from residents and patients.
The Madhadha Liquor Store has been accused of using a Special Restaurant Liquor Licence, intended for a shop at Long Chen Plaza, and has been fined several times.
Tigere Mansion residents and CBD specialist Hospital and Maternity are appealing for the store to be closed due to concerns about hearing, brain and sensory development, and speech and language problems, as well as potential risk from intoxicated patrons in the vicinity of the hospital.
Residents have also complained of noise, late-night closures, and a lack of ablution facilities, with many patrons forced to urinate in the street.
A lot of Madhadha patrons force their way into the hospital looking for toilets.
One of the complainants told H-Metro that their current operations involve selling alcohol to clients who sit inside their property, while a majority of the clients sit in their cars and on the street.
“The hospital houses 10 specialist doctors comprising one anaesthetist, one gynaecologist, one general surgeon, one orthopaedic surgeon, one physician, one eye specialist, one ENT specialist, one neurosurgeon surgeon and two urologists.
“The hospital has an open-door policy to other doctors not permanently housed at CBD Specialist Hospital and Maternity.
“To date more than 40 specialist doctors, from different disciplines have utilised the facility and consider it a good and affordable tertiary hospital that complements existing government hospitals.
“We have, however, already started receiving some negative feedback from these visiting doctors.
“Sooner rather than later they will start avoiding our hospital thereby threatening its survival,” reads part of the challenges faced by the hospital.
One of the residents complained of noise, saying the bar closes as late as 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
“If you happen to park before these patrons, you risk being blocked and delaying attending to patients in other hospitals.
“The fact that some patrons park very far from the liquor store due to congestion has resulted in many patrons urinating in the street. The place now has a huge stench of urine.
“Some of the patrons actually try to force their way into surrounding complexes to relieve themselves,” she said.