Chronicle Editor
Nkosilathi Sibanda in Plumtree Town
DOCTORS at Plumtree District Hospital are finding it difficult to administer anaesthetic services to patients following the collapse of the only machinery that rendered the procedure.
For close to two months, the hospital has been referring patients to either Mpilo Central or United Bulawayo Hospitals in Bulawayo more than 100 kilometres away in order for them to get that service. Plumtree District Hospital acting medical officer Dr Joe Nganunu revealed this during a donation of an entertainment centre at the children’s burns and malnutrition ward by Bulilima East Member of Parliament Cde Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu yesterday.
Dr Nganunu said the situation at hand at the hospital presented a huge challenge in terms of treating the patients on time. He said the hospital needs more than $300 000 to repair the existing machine and appealed to well-wishers to assist.
“We commend the visit by the MP and want to use this opportunity to inform him that the hospital’s anesthetic machine is down. Doctors are forced to administer unorthodox means to treat patients and in most circumstances we refer patients to Bulawayo. We appeal for assistance in that regard as we seek to give quality health care to all patients,” said Dr Nganunu.
The MP, who is also the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality said his visit to the hospital came about when he encountered a lonely mother and child at the children’s ward, where he noticed that there was a lack of entertainment facilities that are critical for child patients recovery. Entertainment is described as an important form of diversionary therapy which doctors encourage in order to relieve stress and boredom emanating from staying in hospitals for long periods.
“I came here to handover a television set and a complete digital satellite entertainment set. This I believe will go a long way in providing entertainment to our children and their guardians in this ward,” said Cde Ndlovu.
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