Parirenyatwa to meet Byo hospital bosses

Mpumelelo Nyoni Chronicle Reporter
THE MINISTER of Health and Child Care, Dr David Parirenyatwa, is in Bulawayo to gain an understanding of the management of drugs and general operations at the city’s three major government hospitals following damning findings by a parliamentary committee.In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of Zimbabwe Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited in Bulawayo yesterday, Dr Parirenyatwa said he will meet the health institutions’ top management today to discuss findings made by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care following its visit a fortnight ago.

“The reason for my visit is to discuss the findings made by the parliamentary committee. I will tomorrow meet with the hospitals’ chief executive officers and with medical consultants. I will comment on the issues raised after the meeting tomorrow,” said the                  minister.

The state of affairs at Ingutsheni Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital came to light following a fact-finding mission by members of the Parliamentary Portfolio  Committee on Health and Child Care chaired by Dr Ruth Labode.

During the visit, it emerged that the hospitals were losing drugs including antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and medical devices worth millions of dollars as they expired while being kept in storerooms at the institutions.

It also emerged that all chief executive officers at the three government institutions were driving Mercedes Benz vehicles hired from CMED (Private) Limited at about $6,000 per month.

The hospital bosses were also said to be receiving fuel allocations of up to 420 litres a month, when institutions they are leading are reeling from inadequate funding.

The minister said he was concerned about the shortage of paediatricians at Mpilo Central Hospital but added that it was a national crisis.

“We have a serious crisis of manpower in the country. You can’t have a big hospital like Mpilo having a shortage of paediatricians. It is very uncomfortable not to have such specialist personnel. At Marondera Provincial Hospital there should be eight specialists but there is only one specialist so this is a national crisis,” he said.