adminAuxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
MPILO Central Hospital in Bulawayo is head-hunting a clinical director after getting no takers for the vacant post. The post fell vacant following the resignation of Dr Wedu Ndebele in December 2014. Mpilo acting chief executive officer Leonard Mabhandi said the hospital had resorted to head-hunting as no one had applied despite two advertisements being flighted.
The hospital boss told Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko when he toured the institution on Friday that the hospital was severely understaffed.
“Mpilo Hospital has an authorised establishment of 2,996 posts but 1,678 posts have been filled. “One of the critical posts in a hospital like this one is the clinical director’s. This post has failed to attract takers after two advertisements and we’ve taken steps to use a head hunting method to find somebody who is going to take it,” said Mabhandi.
Dr Solwayo Ngwenya has been acting clinical director since January 2015 and Mabhandi said they hoped he would take up the post.
In his presentation, Dr Ngwenya said he was serving a “humanitarian cause’’ as he was passionate about saving lives.
Mabhandi said the referral hospital was operating with 17 consultants out of the 40 required — a situation he said was putting a strain on the available specialists.
Mabhandi said the 650 nurses at the institution could no longer cope with the pressure at one of the country’s largest referral hospitals.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa, said he was impressed by the progress and improvements at Mpilo Central Hospital.
“My general impression is that Mpilo hospital is doing extremely well under the circumstances, the staff is very committed. There’s a lot of general maintenance work going on, we noticed that theatres are being re-done, maternity wards as well as general and private wards, there’s a lot of activity and they’re working to repair the roof,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
He said Mpilo was receiving only 37 percent of the drugs it needed.
“We noted that there’s a shortage of medicines, essential medicines and drugs, and it’s a situation that needs to be looked at urgently in terms of money being given to all hospitals countrywide.
“It’s a cry from all over the country and we need to strengthen Natpharm (National pharmaceutical Company),” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
In terms of specialists, Dr Parirenyatwa said his ministry was very concerned and the challenge was to make sure they attract more specialists to Matabeleland.
“We’ve specialists but they’re concentrated in Harare, we need them to come out to the eight provincial hospitals as well as district hospitals,” said the minister.
Dr Parirenyatwa said it was not true that the outpatient department at Mpilo had been closed as it was only one clinic which was closed.
“It was one clinic where the doctor suspended services and we don’t allow it. You don’t suspend services or close a department without our knowledge because those services aren’t for you but for the patients. But other departments were working as usual,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
The health minister said there were plans to set up a new hospital in Bulawayo to ease pressure on the two referral hospitals as well as create employment for nurses.
Mpilo Hospital is owed $21 million by its clients including medical aid societies.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo