Senior hospital doctors have bemoaned the grave situation at major referral medical centres saying shortage of equipment is hindering the smooth functioning of the country’s health delivery system.
During an oral evidence session before the Parliamentary Health Committee, Dr Aaron Musara said the hospitals are becoming a graveyard for most Zimbabweans who cannot afford private medical care.
“The hospitals have not been functioning since March last year until the stand still in September. Most machines have broken down, simple medical supplies such as gloves and syringes are not there,” said Musara.
The doctors bemoaned the continuous recycling of nurses due to flexi working hours system introduced by government.
“I do my rounds with a nurse and l agree on what the patient should receive and be treated, tomorrow when i come l have to take my rounds with another nurse who is clueless on what happened to the patient and that can go on for the rest of the week. Handover is very important in our line of work of which its being disrupted by these Zupco timetables and flexi working hours. There is simply no continuity of care to patients,” said Dr Bothwell Mbuvayesango.
Dr Shingai Nyaguse, a consultant in anaesthesia also emphasized the need for more ICU beds as the central hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo are working with minimum requirements.
“We have reached a stage where a whole central hospital can be operation with one ICU bed and that is very dangerous. The hospitals remain incapacitated despite Masiiwa’s offer to go back to work, the hospitals are not operating,” said Mbuvayesango.
Doctors have been pressing the government demanding better salaries, medical supplies and medical equipment.
