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Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter—
MPILO Central Hospital in Bulawayo has suspended all surgical procedures due to a critical shortage of drugs and operating theatre consumables — leaving the lives of scores of patients at risk. The hospital’s chief executive officer, Dr Lawrence Mantiziba, yesterday referred the Chronicle to the acting clinical director a Dr Jephat Moyo who could not be reached for comment as he was said to be out of office.
However, the Chronicle managed to track down a 54-year-old woman from Maraposa Village in Umguza — Sibusiso Giyani — who was turned away while on the verge of a surgical operation to remove a growth on the right side of her neck.
According to her medical record seen by the Chronicle, Giyani was supposed to go for thyroidectomy procedure (the removal of all or part of thyroid gland) but the procedure could not be done since the hospital theatre had no resources that include halothane which is an anaesthetic drug.
According to her medical record, Giyani was advised to return for a possible operation on May 29 due to the crisis at the hospital.
“Leave of absence…. 29/ 05/ 14…. for thyroidectomy, no resources — linen, halothane,” reads part of the medical report.
Giyani, who could hardly speak because of pain, said she was having difficulties in breathing and eating because of the growth on her neck.
“I’m in deep pain and I don’t know how I will be able to get to next Wednesday,” she said showing the Chronicle the growth on her right side.
“On May 19, I checked into Mpilo. They said I would be operated on May 22,” she said.
On the day of the operation, her relatives then went to United Bulawayo Hospitals where they bought a pint of blood for $135.
“On Wednesday I dressed in the hospital surgical gown and was taken to the theatre expecting life changing surgery,” said Giyani.
While lying on the operating table, she was advised that the procedure could not go on.
“I asked why and they said because there was no oxygen (halothane). The doctor then rebooked me for May 29,” said Giyani.
Mpilo, which is one of the biggest referral centres in the country, has about 12 theatres which are all failing to fully function because of a shortage of medicine and surgical sundries.
It caters for patients from the city as well as referral cases from the country’s southern region including Gweru, Beitbridge, Victoria Falls and Masvingo.
The hospital is owed $16 million by its clients, a development that has forced it to engage debt collectors in an effort to recover the funds to revive its operations.
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