Chronicle Editor
George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
The renal unit at Masvingo General Hospital is lying idle amid reports that red tape and administrative bungling are stalling its opening to serve thousands of people across the province who are battling with kidney problems. The entire province is being serviced by one renal unit, which is housed at the privately-run Makurira Memorial Clinic in the city, making kidney dialysis out of reach for the majority of the estimated 1,5 million people here.
Masvingo General Hospital received a kidney dialysis machine that was supposed to be installed at the institution’s renal unit last year, but nothing has taken off the ground as yet.
The dialysis machine at Masvingo General was sourced from China under a government-to-government agreement.
It was supposed to be the first such machine at a public hospital in the province.
Patients from the province, who are in need of dialysis services, have to travel to distant places like Harare to get a cheaper service, as one dialysis session at Makurira Memorial Clinic costs $140, which is beyond the reach of many.
Kidney dialysis services at public hospitals cost an average of $40 per session.
Sources blamed red tape and administrative bungling by authorities at Masvingo General Hospital for delays in operationalising the mothballed renal unit.
The delays were further worsened by the mysterious theft of key components of the dialysis machine at the hospital early this year.
The components have since been found.
Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu yesterday confirmed delays in opening the renal unit at the province’s biggest health institution.
”The problem (to speedily open the renal unit) is partly because of management failure at the hospital, but I must also point out that the major challenge was lack of resources to finance the training of skilled personnel who are supposed to man the renal unit,” he said.
”The hospital did not have resources to fund the training of personnel because there were other challenges that needed priority, but I am happy to say that the personnel that will man the renal unit have since gone for training.”
Dr Shamu said the dialysis machine has since been assembled after it was initially stripped of key components that disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
”Finishing touches are currently underway at the renal unit and we expect that it (unit) will be open to the public in a month’s time,” he said.
Sources blamed hospital management for bungling the whole issue of the renal unit, saying training of personnel should have taken place even before the arrival of the dialysis machine from China.
”What is shocking is that management only sent nurses who will man the renal unit for training only recently, yet we received the dialysis machine last year, that is shocking and to make matters worse, how did key components of the machine disappear from a secured place like a hospital only to be found without proper explanation.”
The source said many people were losing their lives because of failure to access kidney dialysis machines, yet one was lying idle at Masvingo General Hospital.
The renal unit is a critical component of any major hospital and assists patients with mal-functional kidneys to remove toxic substances from the body.
People with diseases such as diabetes and hypertension also require dialysis on a regular basis and the majority of people cannot afford exorbitant fees charged in the private sector.
Online Reporter