The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has bemoaned the deteriorating health services at the country’s biggest referral institution Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
In a letter addressed to the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and clinical director ZDHA requested a meeting to address the issues that they say is rendering their duties ineffective.
“For the past year the conditions in our hospital have deteriorated seriously compromising patient care and leading to avertable loss of life. As healthcare practitioners, we spent innumerable years in school training to serve our people. However, the critical lack of consumables in our hospital is rendering us ineffective as we can no longer deliver services at a tertiary hospital,” said ZDHA
The doctors said most critical machines at the institution have not been functioning for most of the times.
“Our U and E (Urea and Electrolytes) machine is always down, the common most cited reason being no reagents sometimes no water or it’s a mechanical issue. Blood is in short supply and when available cite no reagents or bags. As a central and teaching institution we expect to be conducting more tests in our lab.
“As we all know the main theatre is running on emergency mode with no elective cases. Those who do manage to go to theatre are supposed to buy sutures, primapore, antibiotics, catheters and sometimes urine bags. Our hospital is leaking from everywhere especially the A floor and biochemistry side; we all know the ceiling incident. No adequate lighting in some areas of the hospital especially B floor. Our Infrastructure is old and needs serious repair,” said the doctors.
They added “We understand that the health system has been deprived of funds as per our Minister comments, but I believe we have also raised our consultation charges, pegging them in US dollars for example an X-ray is 33 US and Echo 80 US consultation 15 US. Aren’t we raising our own funds to buy the basic things already mentioned which are in short supply or unavailable.
“Most drugs are out of stock including ceftriaxone which is the most important antibiotic. Sometimes fluids are out of stock, heparin is out of stock, even paracetamol.”
