Senior doctors at Mpilo Hospital have dismissed as false an article published in one of the local weeklies purporting that all was well at Mpilo hospital in Bulawayo.
In a press statement released yesterday, the Zimbabwe Senior Hospital Doctors Association(ZSHDA) gave an overview of the situation at Mpilo hospital saying the health institution was partially functioning due to the absence of junior doctors who have not been reporting for work due to incapacitation.
“Contrary to the grossly inflated figure of 144, sadly less than 20 doctors are manning Mpilo Hospital. Out patients department has been closed for two months. Only emergency cases are being attended to,” reads part of the statement.
ZSHDA added that the problem at Mpilo was compounded by poor supply of medicines and closure of the outpatients ward for two months now.
“Few middle level doctors are also incapacitated although some have been responding to emergency cases. Outpatients has been closed for two months now. There is a poor supply of medicines and most patients have taken their samples to private laboratories at an inflated expense.
“Currently, patients with chronic conditions are not accessing treatment due to closure of the outpatients department. Only four out of 10 theaters are functional though under equipped for procedures thus only emergency cases are being operated,” further noted ZSHDA.
