Online Reporter
Emmanuel Kafe
Check Point Desk
For 27 hours, a Harare woman bled profusely, losing a lot of blood, while the doctor she had paid to manage her pregnancy complications allegedly failed to attend to her.
What should have been a routine medical procedure spiralled into a near-fatal experience, exposing cracks in patient safety, accountability and ethical practices in the country’s private healthcare system.
The patient, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been diagnosed with a blighted ovum —a pregnancy sac that develops without an embryo.
On September 4, she underwent a scan at Executive Women Obstetrics and Gynaecology Health Clinic in Harare, where Dr Christopher Chirume, a gynaecologist, confirmed that the pregnancy had no heartbeat.
“I was told the pregnancy was continuously growing without a baby inside and needed to be terminated,” she told Check Point.
“Dr Chirume said he would use pills to induce bleeding and later evacuate the womb. He charged me US$250, and I paid a US$150 deposit.”
Still uncertain, the woman sought a second opinion.
On September 7, another doctor confirmed the pregnancy was not viable. Convinced, she returned to Dr Chirume’s clinic and on September 10, made the US$150 deposit for inducement and evacuation.
She says the pills were administered at around 11 am and was instructed to return later that day.
By the following evening—September 11—her condition had deteriorated severely, but she claims she had not been seen or monitored by Dr Chirume at any point.
“I called him at 4 pm as agreed, telling him I was bleeding heavily. He said I should come the next day,” she said.
“The next morning, I was in excruciating pain. Each time I called him, he kept postponing—first to 10am, then 1pm, then 2pm. By then, I had bled for 27 hours and was weak.”
Despite her worsening state, she claimed she dragged herself to the clinic and “crawled into the surgery,” only to be ignored by staff.
“They feigned ignorance about his whereabouts. One receptionist even said their doctor is well protected and has relatives in the Ministry of Health. They didn’t monitor me, and the doctor never came.”
Desperate, she left the clinic later that day and went to a different private institution.
“That’s where I was monitored and received proper treatment,” she said.
A confidential medical report from that facility, viewed by Check Point, confirmed her blood levels had dropped dangerously and she required urgent emergency care.
It says her condition worsened due to inadequate medical attention following induction, as there were remnants of pregnancy tissue after abortion.
“Echogenic materials in the upper endometrium highly suggestive of RPOCs.” Loosely translated to mean that there appeared to be remaining pregnancy tissue inside the uterus.
The patient says she later took formal action.
On September 18, she wrote a letter of complaint to the Health Service Commission (HSC), outlining allegations of negligence, lack of care, and the way her condition deteriorated.
On September 30, the Health Service Commission, through its secretary Dr Christopher Pasi, confirmed it had received the complaint.
“The Health Service Commission acknowledges receipt of the complaint lodged against Dr Chirume. Upon review, it was established that the matter falls outside the Commission’s mandate, as the practitioner in question was operating in the private sector.
“In line with the governing legal and regulatory framework, the Commission duly referred the complaint to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (MDPCZ), which is the competent authority with jurisdiction over professional conduct in private medical practice.
“This referral ensures that the issue is handled by the appropriate regulatory body, which is empowered to investigate and take action where necessary.
“The Health Service Commission remains committed to facilitating an inclusive health delivery system in Zimbabwe through a competent and motivated workforce,” said Dr Pasi.
But in a twist, Dr Chirume’s aides reportedly filed a police complaint against the patient, accusing her of “disturbances” at his clinic.
In an interview, Dr Chirume denied negligence.
“I was in Bindura, and I was not around when she came back. She insulted our staff, and we have since reported the case to the police,” he said.
The Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association (MDPPZA) president, Professor Johannes Marisa, said: “If this patient lost so much blood due to delayed care, that’s not just negligence—it’s a grave dereliction of duty.
“We don’t condone such practices; it is detrimental to our patients. We encourage doctors to be extra careful at work and when delivering to their patients. If busy, please second someone to stand on your behalf,” he said.
The scandal has also raised uncomfortable questions about profiteering in private healthcare.
Healthcare rights advocates say this case should prompt regulatory scrutiny.
“We are dealing with a sector where oversight is weak. Patients are vulnerable, especially in reproductive health. What happened here shows the urgent need for accountability,” said Mr Muchadei Dzeka, a Harare-based medical lawyer.
For the patient, survival has come at great physical and emotional cost.
“I almost died because I trusted someone who didn’t care,” she reflected.
While she recovers, her ordeal has opened a window into the darker side of private reproductive healthcare—where the lines between professional duty and profit appear dangerously blurred.
dyton mupawaenda