Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]
HEALTHCARE workers at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo were overwhelmed by patients needing urgent surgeries to save lives after being attacked with dangerous weapons such as knives, axes, spears and knobkerries during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
A total of 90 penetrating trauma cases were recorded from Christmas Eve to January 2 and doctors and other supporting staff had to work long hours to conduct the urgent surgeries to save lives.
Penetrating trauma occurs when a foreign object pierces the skin and enters the body creating a wound and this includes stabbing with a spear, knife or cutting of the skin with a machete.
In some instances, surgeons had to conduct day-long surgeries trying to remove weapons such as axes or spears stuck in essential organs.
Spine-chilling images of assault victims with dangerous weapons stuck in their organs were shown to this reporter.
The festive season is unfortunately now associated with an increase in crime emanating from social disputes instead of people enjoying merry-making with relatives and friends as was the case in the past. The New Year holiday had the highest number of penetrating traumas, at 39 and a majority of these were recorded from Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Inyathi.
On Christmas Eve, 10 cases were recorded and the figure went up to 13 on Christmas and shot to 17 on Boxing Day.
The figures went down to three the following day and on January 2, eight cases were recorded. Of those, three have since died, three are critical in the intensive care unit while the rest remain admitted as they are undergoing treatment.
Mpilo clinical director, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, said the hospital was inundated with trauma patients forcing it to divert its limited resources meant for other serious cases to save the lives of assault victims.
He said the level of “carelessness” was worrying as some of the affected have since died.
“This has been a worrying festive season for our staff members as we were inundated by life-threatening injuries from assaults. The doctors and supporting staff were forced to spend long ours in the theatre trying to save lives,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said the victims who were attacked by dangerous weapons such as axes, knives, spears, machetes and other such weapons sustained serious injuries.
“Assault cases are preventable and we should not endanger or lose lives from social disputes. We are supposed to involve aunts and family members to resolve disputes as opposed to resorting to violence. Drunkenness, love triangles, mining and monetary disputes are contributing factors to these incidents,” said Prof Ngwenya.
He said members of the public should revert to Ubuntu and respect the gift of life especially during the festive season, which should be a time for families to bond and enjoy quality time.
In one of the incidents, a man from Nkayi was stabbed with a spear that went in from his left shoulder. He escaped death by a whisker as the spear bent before it could reach his heart.
In another incident a man from Inyathi had his chin sliced with a machete following an undisclosed dispute.
Mpilo’s neurosurgeon Dr Garikai Mwale said members of the public should desist from engaging in violence using dangerous weapons. “We have a big problem regarding trauma issues at our hospital and most of them are victims of domestic violence or disputes at bars,” he said.
Dr Mwale said weekends and public holidays were the busiest at Mpilo hospital and most patients were assault victims.
In her third-quarter review of crime statistics, Zimstat acting director-general Mationesa Phiri said: “The Zimbabwean community has of late experienced more incidences of crime that include theft, robbery, sexual offenses, drug-related crimes and murder. “Such vices leave society entangled with emotional, psychological and physical damage. In addition, acts of crime may result in tension within families, financial losses, expenditures on private deterrence, mental disorders and loss of life.
“At the Government level, expenditures associated with law enforcement and criminal justice are incurred at the expense of social service delivery.”
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