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Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
COUNCIL clinics in Bulawayo have resorted to booking patients taking anti-retroviral treatment (ART) as a shortage of nurses hits the municipality’s health institutions.
According to the latest council report from the Health Department, council clinics serve 44,000 patients on ART.
The acting director of health, Dr Edwin Sibanda, said the decision to resort to appointments for ART patients was arrived at due to a shortage of health personnel.
“Council is facing serious nursing staff shortages. The procedure taken before distributing ART is laborious. This is done in order to get accurate information regarding the patients’ response to treatment. Council clinics are now booking appointments for ART patients,” said Dr Sibanda.
He said because HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) patients are given first priority at council clinics, they had resorted to making appointments for them as they take long to be served.
Dr Sibanda said most patients from Mzilikazi and Makokoba suburbs were now being referred to Mpilo Central Hospital.
He said Mpilo Central Hospital catered for 8,000 patients on ART while the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) catered for 7,000 compared to council clinics which were serving 44,000 patients.
“In view of this there is a need for more infrastructure at the clinics,” Dr Sibanda said.
The report came after councillors expressed concern at the service delivery at council clinics.
Clr Monica Lubimbi observed that patients were experiencing delays at the municipality clinics.
“There is a need to improve service delivery as residents are concerned about this,” said Clr Lubimbi.
Bulawayo City Council clinics are operating with 62 percent of the required nursing staff, compromising the delivery of essential health services.
Online Reporter