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Local public health centres have recently proved to be havens for health disaster after it emerged that several medical practitioners have tested positive for COVID-19 while others have since withdrew their services over salary disputes.
Zimbabwe’s health system is currently in a Catch 22 situation.
Coronavirus aka COVID-19 has exacerbated the already battered health system.
Nurses and other medical practitioners have deserted public hospitals and clinics over salary disagreements with their employer – government.
This has greatly affected patients who require medical attention.
Our investigations have proved that patients are being send back home.
According to a local online publication, Health Times, a Harare woman on 24 June 2020 lost her baby in a suspected case of negligence after Harare Central Hospital nurses ignored her call for emergency labour attention.
In a harrowing narration to the publication, the lady, Valerie Mashiri (37) said the nurses insisted her case was not an emergency and maintained she should instead get a scan and stop being a cry baby.
“On June 17, 2020, it was week 21 of my pregnancy, I woke up with slight cramps and since it was cold, I decided to stay in bed. The only time I would get up was when I needed to use the toilet. Late in the afternoon I noticed a discharge, it was like mucus tinted with a brownish colour.”
“In such a situation, I did not want to panic but I became a bit concerned so I spoke to my husband and began researching on it. In the Evening around 10:00 pm, that is when I started feeling sharp pains and since I was not at my house, it took a while for my husband to get to my parent’s house and we decided to go to Harare Hospital,” the woman narrated to Health Times.
Recently, another pregnant woman who spoke to TechMag.TV was sent back home after being told there were no nurses to attend to her.
“I was told to go home since there were no nurses to attend to me. But look I am now due for delivery and I have no money for private hospitalisation. What do I do now?” the woman only identified as Mai Masungo told this publication.
Mai Masungo had booked at Warren Park council clinic but now she needs to look for a private hospital as her delivery days are fast approaching.
As if that was not enough of public medical institutions, COVID-19 positive cases among health workers have made the situation shoddier.
Last week on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care recorded probably one of the biggest COVID-19 positive cases figure among health workers.
Sixty-eight (68) United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) health workers were tested positive on that day.
Reports show that figures continue to soar with each passing day making the institutions unfit for patients.
Patients are now fearing for their lives.
“After hearing that more health workers are contracting this novel coronavirus as patients we are now even scared to come here and get medication because you never know if the nurse who is assisting you has coronavirus or not. Our health centres are no longer safe,” said one patient.
“We appealing to the government to at least consider providing enough protective clothes for our health workers because currently a lot people are hesitant to come and get medication to hospital or even to get tested for COVID-29,” she said.
Zimbabwe has so far recorded 1,064 coronavirus cases, 20 deaths and 343 recoveries.
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