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Pamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa was yesterday shocked at thestate of dilapidation at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, saying the city needed a new hospital.
Dr Parirenyatwa said this after touring the hospital which is saddled with many challenges, chief among them, financial constraints and a serious manpower shortage.
He was accompanied by the ministry’s acting Permanent Secretary Dr Gibson Mhlanga and the Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Cde Nomthandazo Sandi Moyo.
“When I look at Mpilo Hospital I think it is better to build a new hospital. The main building is dilapidated and some of the departments will be difficult and costly to repair. It is now time to consider constructing friendlier health institutions that will make patients feel at home.
“Regardless of the tremendous amount of commitment by the entire staff, there are areas that need funding. A new mortuary is under construction and it needs to be completed, staff houses and other departments need to be repaired,” said Dr Parirenyatwa
He added: “I am touring our hospitals to assess the infrastructure, equipment and their challenges. Mpilo is the third after Harare and Mutare. We have to start moving towards improving our hospitals because we are looking at a lifetime of beyond 30 years. The equipment here is obsolete and needs to be replaced. The supply chain of medicines is very poor,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
The minister said it was important for the hospital to have adequate health specialists for the benefit of students from the National University of Science and Technology who go to the institution for industrial attachment. He was also shocked when the hospital’s chief executive officer Dr Ottis Mantiziba revealed that pregnant women were paying maternity fees.
Dr Mantiziba said the hospital, which is not receiving funding for maternity from Government, started charging maternity fees in May following in the footsteps of Chitungwiza General Hospital and Parirenyatwa Groups of Hospitals.
“You are defying Government. It is a standing Government policy that pregnant women, children under five and adults over 65 should not pay to access health services.
“Maternity services must be paid for by the Government,” said the Minister.
Out of 100 000 pregnant women, 960 die while giving birth and one of the reasons is lack of access to health. Dr Mantiziba said re-imbursement of maternity user fees has not been coming from Government since last year.
“We submitted claims for re-imbursement from October 2012 to September 2013 totalling $2 405 550 and are still to be paid. This deficit has negatively affected the smooth operations of the hospital.
“As a survival strategy, we made the pregnant women pay for maternity services.”
Online Reporter