Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
RUSAPE General Hospital has upgraded its dental unit and laboratory services in a development expected to improve patient care by reducing the costs and inconvenience associated with accessing the essential health care services outside the town.
The availability of functional dental and laboratory services at the hospital is also now helping to reduce referrals for tests and procedures that can be handled locally, while improving the efficiency of patient care.
For patients in Rusape and communities in Makoni District, the improvements translate into reduced transport costs, shorter waiting times and more convenient access to essential medical services.
Rusape General Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Stewart Karembo, said the development shows and ensure critical services are offered under one roof.
Dr Karembo said from the dental section, they are only referring patients with complex procedures to central hospitals, while the majority of the tests are being conducted at the local laboratory.
“The dental unit is now fully functional after years of operating below capacity. It is offering quite a range of services, which include different types of teeth filings. We also offer tooth extraction, composite splints, operation of locked jaws, polishing and other key treatments.
“We are only referring to Harare procedures that require specialist services, but most processes are now being done at the hospital.
“We have improved our laboratory, which is now offering a variety of tests.
“The laboratory has five functional departments, including hematology for full blood count, chemistry, blood bank, micro biology and serology, which deals with hormones such prostate specific antigen.
“We are not yet testing hormones for breast cancer because we are still to get specialists to deal with that area.
“A laboratory is a diagnostic institution used for confirming the analytics done by medical doctors.
“When the doctor sees a patient, they come up with a differential diagnosis, which is a list of probable diagnosis.
“With a functional laboratory, you conduct tests that give you exactly what you are looking for, get final diagnosis for the patient, and give them the treatment that is appropriate for the disease.
“Previously patients had to rely on private laboratory for the tests or the provincial hospital depending on whether the patient has money or not.
“Prices of private laboratory tests are bit higher compared with what Government institutions demand. Due to steep prices some patients end up abandoning the tests process,” said Dr Karembo.
The hospital is also in the process of restocking its pharmacy in order to supply patients with drugs, while other key sections such as the laundry section are being attended to.
Rusape upgrades dental, laboratory services
