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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
HEALTH institutions in Matabeleland South have been severely affected by prevailing power cuts which have affected various parts of the country with authorities saying they are forced to turn back some patients.
Some parts of the province have been experiencing severe power cuts with districts like Gwanda going for about 18 hours without power on a daily basis. Responding to questions that were sent in writing, Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director, Dr Chipo Chikodzore said the severely affected institutions were Gwanda Provincial Hospital, Plumtree District Hospital, Brunapeg Hospital and a number of rural health centres while Maphisa District Hospital has been operating without electricity for about three weeks after electricity cables were stolen. She said at Beitbridge Hospital some departments were affected.
“At Gwanda Provincial Hospital all services including emergency Caesarean sections are heavily compromised. There are now long waiting periods for clients who require services like X-rays and ultra sound scans and as a result clients are turned back and they have to keep checking if the hospital has power. The eye unit is not offering theatre services. We managed to get a small generator for the renal unit but the hospital continues to bear the cost of diesel to continue providing the service. There has been one case of a fresh stillbirth in the maternity ward due to delayed Caesarean section as there was no electricity or diesel for backup generators,’’ she said.
She said water supply to the hospital was also compromised as the municipality relied on electricity to pump water. Dr Chikodzore said there was a need for a separate power line for the hospital which would be exempted from power cuts.
She said in Mangwe, the most affected were Mambale, Bango, Mayobodo, Maninji, Ingwizi, Sanzukwi Clinics and Brunapeg Hospital. She said the power cuts were affecting management of commodities that require cold chain such as vaccines. She said Insiza and Umzingwane were not severely affected as the power cuts were low. Dr Chikodzore appealed to partners that could assist in installing solar systems within health facilities.
Online Reporter