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Talent Gore and Nesia Mhaka|
The return to work by most doctors and consultants at the country’s referral hospitals has provided hope to patients.
Normalcy is slowly returning to the health institutions, with casualty, outpatients, male and female wards, as well as the renal unit now operating.
The corridors are now bustling with activity again as patients are getting medical attention.
Ms Fadzai Nhira, who was discharged from the maternity ward at Sally Mugabe Hospital (formerly Harare Central Hospital), was all smiles.
“I will not lie, prior to my due date I was really scared because I didn’t know whether I was going to deliver the baby because I was told that I should give birth through an operation,” she said.
“I was very happy to hear that there was a doctor who was going to attend to me because I could not afford a private hospital”
Sally Mugabe Hospital public relations manager Ms Juliet Chikurunhe said all doctors were back at work.
“We have 177 medical doctors and consultants at the central hospital, and 117 doctors and Government consultants are back at work except for 60 consultants from the University of Zimbabwe,” she said.
“The number of doctors who are reporting for duty has improved.
“In fact, all the Government-employed doctors are reporting for duty save for those consultants from the university.
“The number of patients who are coming on a daily basis is also picking up.”
Contacted for comment, Health Services Board (HSB) spokesperson Ms Rachel Dzvukutu said the board was only able to give the total number of doctors back at work today after their monitoring team submits the updates.
All central hospitals namely Sally Mugabe, Parirenyatwa, Chitungwiza, Mpilo and United Bulawayo Hospitals had been operating below capacity ever since doctors withdrew their services in September last year, with only emergency cases being attended to.
Online Reporter