adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
Ngomahuru Psychiatry Hospital is understaffed and running with only 17 nurses instead of the required 60.
When The Herald visited the institution last week, there were only five nurses on duty watching over more than 200 (male and female patients), some of whom were violent and were actually fighting the nurses.
The situation is worsened by the fact that not all of the 17 nurses at the institution are qualified in psychiatry.
Ngomahuru Hospital matron Mr Thomas Mahwehwe said the situation was desperate and appealed to Government for more staff.
“We are operating with only 17 nurses and we are supposed to be 60,” said Mr Mahwehwe.
“We are being overwhelmed by the situation here. This is evident when we receive hyperactive inmates who would need continuous monitoring,” he said.
He said the institution continues to receive a lot of inmates from Masvingo General Hospital despite its challenges.
“We continue to get inmates from Masvingo General Hospital despite lack of capacity to deal with a big number of psychiatric patients. As if that is not enough, Parirenyatwa Harare Hospital keeps referring some clients after failing to manage here and that gives, us much load.
“Some of the inmates are violent and we have grouped them into villa 1, 2 and 3. This is according to their level of sobriety or lack of it. Last week, we had to send one nurse on sick leave after he was attacked on his right eye by an inmate who is violent,” he said
Masvingo provincial medical superintendent (PMD) Dr Amadeaus Shamu confirmed that the institution had vacancies but said the number could be minimum.
“It is unfortunate the establishments are limited although we can have two or so vacancies at Ngomahuru. It is what the Government has recommended despite the challenges faced by those working there.
“We have basic trainings conducted for registered general nurses willing to partake in psychiatry care. The trainings are done at Ingutsheni Hospital in Bulawayo and the graduates are taken to Ngomahuru to complement qualified psychiatric nurses,” said Dr Shamu.
Online Reporter