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the operations of the church. We just regulate, in terms of policy, health matters through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare,” he said.
Advocate Dinha said Government respected the church’s decision.
“They have conditions of service they set for the doctor and this should be respected. As such we also value the contributions he made during his tenure as evidenced by the demonstrations by the community. We however, condemn the use of violence in solving matters. We urge the community to meet the church hierarchy peacefully,” he said.
Salvation Army runs Howard Mission Hospital in Mashonaland Central.
“Our public relations officer is in Bindura. We have nothing to say,” said an official at the church’s national headquarters in Harare, who declined to be named. This has nothing to do with the church. We might give you a comment next week.”
When The Herald visited the hospital, about 80km from Harare yesterday, Dr Thistle was not working.
Sources said he has since been stopped from seeing patients by church authorities. This resulted in scores of patients scheduled to undergo various operations being issued with referral letters to other hospitals. The patients were from as far as Plumtree, Gokwe, Centenary and Harare. “What I know is that Dr Thistle is leaving this hospital on August 31. So, he has been relieved of his duties and cannot see patients,” a source at the hospital said.
Stranded patients had no kind words for the church administration. They accused the church of being insensitive to the plight of the sick and urged Government to intervene.
“The doctor has been transferred and who is going to attend to us?” said Mr Samson Mafirowonda, who was due for a hernia operation.
Miss Nomvela Tshuma said she was due to undergo a tubal insufflation operation after travelling from Plum-tree. “I am disappointed. I was referred to this hospital, but we were told the doctor is going away and cannot operate patients. This is disheartening,” she said.
Mr Bishop Sibindi from Centenary said: “This doctor has saved so many lives and they want this community to suffer because of personal agendas. Government should immediately intervene and serve people’s lives.”
Mrs Norma Tafa, an HIV and Aids counsellor who has worked for the hospital since 1996, questioned the transfer. “There must be something sinister in the church and this has to be exposed,” she said. “We have other people like Dr Watt who left the hospital on their own accord. So, why are they chasing away Thistle?”
Mashonaland Central acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Petros Masikati said the 12 suspects were still assisting them with investigations.
Online Reporter