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Hopeless situation at Chivhu Gen Hospital

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Hopeless situation at Chivhu Gen Hospital



…hospital
becomes place for prescriptions only

Elliot Jinjika

CHIVHU – Things are not going on well
at Chivhu General Hospital where power cuts have affected operations and a
severe lack of adequate water has put the lives of patients in further danger.
The
hospital is also struggling under a severe shortage of basic equipment and
drugs like syringes and paracetamol.
The
hospital serves the whole community of Chivhu and all the resettlement areas
around the small town.
As a
result of the crisis, many patients are returning home without getting the
required medical help on a daily basis.
TellZim
News recently paid a visit to the hospital and managed to speak to some patients
who said they were there simply for the sake of it.
“There
are no drugs here and we have been given prescriptions and we need to buy the
medicine on our own. There is no electricity most of the times and all services
have been hindered by power cuts. The X-ray is not in operation, the laboratory
is not working and the theatre too is not working,” said one patient as he
limped home.
An
expectant mother said she had been told by a hospital employee to get help
elsewhere as her chances of dying in labour at the hospital were way higher
than what is ordinary.
“I
met a hospital employee who advised to get assistance elsewhere because it was
not safe to use the maternity ward here,” said the expectant mother.
A
staff member who spoke to TellZim News blamed power cuts, shortage of equipment
and drugs, low levels of morale among employees and lack of adequate water for
the carnage at the hospital.
“The
lab cannot function without power and most notably the mortuary. The mortuary
needs electricity always hence we are in a complete state of paralysis. The CSSD
department is not properly functioning and activities in the theatre have been
disturbed. We have a solar system but it’s not working properly. Add all that
to the grievances of doctors and nurses and you have a complete catastrophe,”
said the employee.
Another
source said the hospital’s solar system contract was awarded to a dubious
company which failed to do the work properly, leading to below normal power
being generated.
“The
solar system produces power only for the lights. We heard that had the work been
done properly, we wouldn’t be facing a crisis of this magnitude,” said the
employee.
Chivhu
Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Alice Kanyemba was out of office and could not be
reached for comment.

Ngomahuru: A place where all sanity has been lost

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Ngomahuru: A place where all sanity has been lost

  Women’s lobby group WCoZ donated many items including sanitary pads to the hospital                 


Upenyu
Chaota
After enduring about forty-two kilometres of a sorry
excuse for a tarred road from Masvingo town along Masvingo-Beitbridge highway,
one comes across a faint signage signalling a left turn to Ngomahuru
Psychiatric Hospital, the second largest psychiatric hospital in the country.
It is only 10 kilometres from this point to the
hospital but the state of the road will take you close to an hour to get there.
One would be forgiven for believing this is the road
to hell, a place where no one wants to go or hear about but for some mere
mortals, it is a place that calls for the humanity side in us.
Along the dusty road just close to the hospital, one
makes a right turn and is left with only three kilometres to come face to face
with the harsh realities of Ngomahuru.
Around 170 inmates – 25 of them female – are housed at
the facility which has a capacity to hold 300 inmates if all things are alright.
At this hospital, mental disorders comes in all shapes
and sizes ranging from mild to extreme requiring the dedicated nursing staff to
provide utmost love and care. These nurses deserve a crown for the job they do
despite the harsh and poor working conditions.
The hard and honest truth is that the world views mental
illness with a lot of stigma and many relatives of the mentally-challenged
patients end up dumping them at this hospital never to return again.
Some inmates have been admitted at the institution for
over 20 years and to them, the nursing staff and other inmates have become
their families.
In the 2019 budget, the government allocated a measly
$755 million towards the health sector which was slightly increased during the
supplementary budget.
In these difficult times, the government has literally
turned a blind eye and ear on Ngomahuru which now relies heavily on donor aid.
Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital Medical Superintendent
Dr Parirenyatwa Maramba said the institution faced a number of challenges due
to the worsening economic situation.
The biggest challenge, according to Dr Maramba, is food
shortages. He said when patients receive their medication, they develop monstrous
appetites yet there is no food most of the times.
“Ngomahuru is the second largest psychiatric hospital
in the country. It has a bed set of 300 but on average we admit up to 170 and we
have between 25 and 30 females each time.
“There are many challenges. We don’t have sanitary
pads for female inmates unless somebody has made donations. We have received
some donations in recent days but we welcome more.
“The major issue on the ground is food. We need food
especially meat, cooking oil and sugar among other basics,” said Dr Maramba.
TellZim News learnt that the institution normally gets
mealie-meal and rice but there is no meat or beans with which to take the rice
or sadza.
Patients at times eat vegetables without cooking oil,
porridge without sugar and plain sadza.
“Our main funding comes from government and as you
know the country is going through a difficult time and funds are severely
limited. As long as the government does not have money, we also do not have
money.
“Our patients do not pay any money they are treated
for free so everything depends on the government which is currently struggling.
We need help from everyone who can come and assist. The government is trying
yes but it is not enough. We are overwhelmed with patients and we need a lot of
food,” said Dr Maramba.
One female inmate whom nurses said was getting better
and ready to go home, said she found herself at the hospital after she went
through massive depression.
“I am here because I went through massive depression.
I separated from my husband and when it was time to share property, I was
deprived of everything. My husband took everything and I was left with nothing.
“I was so depressed and I lost my mind. I was admitted
here but now I am ready to go home. I have communicated with people at home to
come get me or send me money but they refuse saying I should stay admitted,”
she said.
Women inmates at Ngomahuru are in dire straits and are
walking around without underwear and an urgent appeal has been made to address
this issue. There is need for bathing towels, detergents, uniforms among other
basics.
The Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Masvingo
Chapter in partnership with the Roman Catholic St Peter’s and Paul’s Cathedral
Mothers’ Union donated hundreds of sanitary wear, soap, toothpaste among other
toiletries to ease the shortages.
“We are elated as a chapter to have contributed
towards alleviating the health crisis that is affecting our fellow sisters here
at Ngomahuru Hospital. The women activists initiated and coordinated this
response at chapter level and pledged to mobilise a $10 contribution per person
towards the purchase of commodities needed.
“What the WCoZ chapter members have done in
self-resource mobilisation has shown a great deal of maturity and this exhibits
a vibrant women’s movement capable of supporting one another through difficult
times,” said WCoZ Masvingo Chapter chairperson Joyce Mhungu.

Masvingo Provincial Hospital runs for weeks without incinerator

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Masvingo Provincial Hospital runs for weeks without incinerator

Moses
Ziyambi

Masvingo Provincial
Hospital recently spent many weeks using the council dump site to dispose of
potentially harmful medical waste materials that are normally fed into the
incinerator for destruction.
The hospital had run
out of coal that is used to generate the high amount of heat that an incinerator
requires to destroy different kinds of waste products.
A source at the
hospital said management had ‘slept on the job’ and failed to procure coal on
time, leading to a medical waste disposal crisis that lasted close to four
weeks.
“Somebody neglected
doing their job and we ended up without any coal. We resorted to using the
council dumpsites to dispose of some controlled medical waste materials
including sharps (syringes, needles, disposable scalpels and blades). It was a
very bad thing to do,” said a source.
The source also said
coal had last been procured in 2015 and there was supposed to be a replenishment
at the beginning of 2019 when stock levels became seriously subdued.
Materials that are
usually incinerated include pathological and infectious waste materials and
well as expired pharmaceuticals.
Pathological waste
refers to human tissue, organs and fluids while infectious waste means waste
contaminated with blood or bodily fluids and waste generated during
post-mortems.
Sources said the most
common pathological waste coming out of Masvingo Provincial Hospital is
generated in the maternity wards in the form of placentas that come out when pregnant
women give birth.
Infectious waste at the
hospital consists mostly of used bandages and cotton wool.
When contacted for
comment, Masvingo Provincial Hospital public relations officer Ruth Zulu
confirmed that the hospital had ran out of coal and had used the council
dumpsite.
She however denied
reports that the hospital had used the dumpsite to dispose of dangerous medical
waste, saying only ‘acceptable’ materials were taken there.
“We wouldn’t be that
irresponsible because we use the same neighborhoods as everybody else. Together
with our families, we are part of the community. Yes, we experienced a shortage
of coal due to the economic problems that every other institution is facing but
we eventually managed to procure 21 tons from Hwange and that should last us
for a long time depending on the amount of work that has to be done,” said
Zulu.
She said during the
crisis, the hospital improvised ways of destroying waste materials that could
not be disposed of at the dumpsite, but could not state categorically how the
improvisation was exactly done.
Masvingo acting town
clerk Edward Mukaratirwa said if medical waste was dumped at the council
dumpsite, it was done without express authority from the local authority.
“It was done without
our authority. Environmental health laws do not allow medical waste to be
dumped at such places. Such materials should be destroyed in the incinerator,”
said Mukaratirwa.
The dumpsite, which is
located right in the middle of Runyararo West and Victoria Ranch, has for a
long time been a burning issue as it is seriously affecting residents of the
two areas.

First female ‘headman’ for Bikita

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First female ‘headman’ for Bikita

First femal headman, Senator Rungani with the first female headman of Masvingo province at her installation ceremony on Septermber 27.

TellZim Reporter
BIKITA – Sheila
Chigumisirwa was recently installed first female ‘headman’ (sadunhu) in
Masvingo province at an event graced by many dignitaries including Senator
Rungani.
The installation ceremony was presided over by Masvingo
Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) Fungai Mbetsa whose office is formerly
known as Provincial Administrator (PA).
Chigumisirwa presides over a large area incorporating 60
villages under Chief Mazungunye in Bikita East.
Her installation ceremony was attended by some government
officials, Members of Parliament (MPs) and several ordinary villagers.

Musiso High School anti-littering drive bears fruit

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Musiso High School anti-littering drive bears fruit

Emmaculate Mukokoromba
ZAKA
– St Anthony’s Musiso High School has set an example by heeding calls by
the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) to create and sustain a litter-free
environment by making rubbish bins readily available throughout the school area.
The
school has set good precedence for other schools and organisations in Zaka by
placing litter bins at all vantage places around the school including in the
sport grounds.
St
Anthony’s Musiso High School head Joram Mawana said that the appearance of the
school should be in line with set standards to help market the brand and build
a culture of cleanliness among pupils and everybody else.
“We
have to keep a clean school environment and cultivate a clean culture in our
pupils so that wherever they go in future, they will know that they have to
keep their surroundings clean. This helps to market the school at large and it reflects
our standards as a school,” said Mawana.
The
set-up at the school does not allow anyone to throw litter on the ground
because of the number of bins available.
“We
have put a lot of bins around the school and no one has to walk a distance to
throw litter. Wherever you are, you have to find a bin. They are clearly-labeled
and no one can miss them,” said Mawana.
The
bins at St Anthony’s Musiso High School are made from not so sophisticated
material that can be found easily and affordably.
In
2016, the school was EMA debate champions for Masvingo province in the category
which supported prosecution of littering offences.
EMA
has for a long time advocated for institutions to improve the availability of
bins in their surroundings as a way of improving cleanliness and recycling
opportunities.

Heal Zimbabwe scales up social accountability awareness in Zaka

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Heal Zimbabwe scales up social accountability awareness in Zaka

Brighton Chiseva

ZAKA – Heal Zimbabwe is
scaling up its public accountability awareness campaign in Zaka through many
activities including interactive clean-up campaigns in the district.
The
non-governmental organisation last week partnered the local leadership for a
clean-up campaign at Four Miles shopping centre where a platform was created
for people to freely discuss issues that affect their communities.
Heal Zimbabwe
project officer Donald Marimbe said they decided to use a unique approach to
help build accountable community leadership.
 “We have been teaching people on how they
should hold local leaders to account on anything they do and make sure that
there is transparency in positions of leadership. This clean-up is a result of
what we have been teaching the community and we are pleased by the response,”
said Marimbe
People were
urged to unite and continue providing labour and other services towards the
completion of Four Miles Clinic.
Some villagers said
the wide gully close to Murerekwa Primary School needed to be filled-up as it
had become a hazard to children and animals.
Other villagers
also expressed concern over the increase in criminal activities mostly by ruffians
who use catapults to attack children coming from school.
Traditional
leaders who attended the event included Headman Utete, village heads Gwara,
Chivata, Mhamo and Zarira who all pledged to work for the safety of their
communities.
The clean-up
campaign was a local leadership initiative to create a platform for people to
share ideas and get feedback from their leaders.
The event
followed a workshop on accountability which was organised by Heal Zimbabwe in
the same area.
Ward 8 Cllr
Tererai Tererai praised the clean-up exercise had not only tidied the
surroundings but had also given a chance for interactive dialogue for the sake
of greater community harmony.
“We decided to
put to test what we learnt from the workshops organised by Heal Zimbabwe. This
is just the beginning; we will do more programmes different from the clean-ups.
We will also go to other areas like Gwangwava,” said Tererai.
Heal Zimbabwe provided
plastic litter bags and gloves for use during the clean-up exercise.

New ZSMIWU executive members elected

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New ZSMIWU executive members elected

                                                        Faster Gono
Beatific
Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI
– The dispute over the leadership of the Zimbabwe Sugar Milling
Industry Workers Union (ZSMIWU) was last weekend partly solved after elections
were held, with a faction aligned to Chiredzi West Member of Parliament (MP)
Farai Musikavanhu not contesting.
The elections were convened by Advocate
Primrose Magaisa of Pundu and Hwacha Legal Practitioners.
Simon Ndale and Taruvinga Madenyaya
were among those elected for the Triangle section of the union while Patrick
Masaiti and Moses Mutonho were elected for the Hippo Valley Estates section.
Members of the Musikavanhu group, which
had sought to impose itself as the legitimate executive of the union through
many actions including challenging the legality of the Faster Gono-led executive
in the Masvingo High Court, did not contest.
During the court case, Justice Joseph
Mafusire recognised the legitimacy of the Gono executive but imposed many
terms.
Mafusire ordered the executive to
organise new elections in 30 days so that three executive members who were relieved
of their duties by Tongaat Hulett; Godfrey Katerere, Brawl Chikandiwa and Tavanga
Vandirai as well as Lucia Chirilele, who resigned from service under High Court
order Number HC459/18 of August 28 2019, could be replaced.
Applicant of the case was Berrington
Zvanyanya who had roped in the union’s disgraced former secretary general
Addmore Hwarare in what many regarded to be a desperate attempt to get at Gono,
who is renowned for his anti-corruption stance.
“I would like to thank you for the
peaceful election. Those who have been elected should not capitalise on their
positions to amass wealth but rather to fully represent labour issues affecting
ZSMIWU members. You should reject bribes. You are also free to consult me in any
labour related issue. I am there at your disposal,” said Magaisa.
In an interview after the elections,
Gono said he was ready to work with the elected members, adding that the
organisation will soon choose a new president.

Mutare promises to end Dangamvura water shortages by 2020

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Mutare promises to end Dangamvura water shortages by 2020

                                        Spren Mutiwi

…as AfDB comes to the rescue


Felix Matasva
MUTARE – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has concluded
procurement processes and has already awarded a US$400 000 tender for the
supply of materials needed by Mutare City Council to improve supplies in
Dangamvura which has grappled with a water crisis for the past 16 years.
AfDB has supported many urban
councils overcome service delivery challenges in the areas of water and sewage
reticulation over the years and its intervention in Mutare has ignited hope
that Dangamvura will finally have adequate water.
Mutare City Council public
relations officer Spren Mutiwi told TellZim News on Monday that materials from
AfDB will play a critical role in addressing water shortages bedeviling the
suburb.
“The bank is going to give us
US$400 000 worth of materials required to upgrade the water capacity network
for Dangamvura. They are already done with procurement processes and have also
concluded tender evaluation.  A certain
company was awarded the tender and we expect to take delivery of the materials
before the end of this year,” said Mutiwi.
Mutiwi said since US$400 000
worth of materials were not sufficient to upgrade the whole water system, the
local authority had mobilised internal funds to supplement AfDB support.
“Through our supplementary and
2020 budget, we are making provision for internal funding, required to make a
complete overhaul of the water distribution network in Dangamvura. We therefore
believe that by end of next year, there will be some major improvements in
terms of water availability in Dangamvura,” said Mutiwi.
He praised the current council management
and councillors for what he considered to be their commitment to ending the
problem once and for all.
“We promise Dangamvura residents
that while there could have been gaps in the previous administration, the current
one is very much concerned. They are very much in agreement with regards to ending
perennial water shortages and ensuring that the dignity of our esteemed residents
is restored,” said Mutiwi.
He said the water shortages were
spawned by a surge in population which has not been matched by infrastructural upgrades.
“As we work on Dangamvura, we
have a repair and maintenance schedule for water and sewer infrastructure which
has outlived its lifespan elsewhere. At the moment the city is losing 60.9
percent of treated water through leakages. That is unaccounted for since no one
is paying for it,” he said.

Chivhu Zanu PF youth accused of snatching private land, assaulting owner

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Chivhu Zanu PF youth accused of snatching private land, assaulting owner

Elliot
Jinjika

CHIVHU – A
man from Sadza claims he lost his residential stand to a Zanu PF youth leader to
who went on to assault him following a heated confrontation.
Jabulani
Ziwenga says he was severely beaten by Bester Jokonya and his colleague Ishmael
Kareya who is son to Chief Kareya.
Ziwenga
claims he bought the land at Nharira shopping centre from Chikomba Rural
District Council (RDC) before Headman Gura extended the land for him on
condition he will not use the extension for farming or construction purposes as
it lies close to Nharira Dam.
“I
have all the papers to prove ownership of the land but I was shocked when I
received news from my employee that Jokonya had seized part of the land and was
building a structure on it. I responded by surrounding my land with steel poles
but he removed them and continued with the construction work,” said Ziwenga.
He
said Jokonya later approached his employee and assaulted him for trying to stop
him from doing further work on the land.
When
Ziwenga tried to restrain Ziwenga, Kareya reportedly intervened and both
employer and employee were beaten to a pulp.
“We
were heavily assaulted and my medical affidavits clearly show that. They boasted
of being Zanu PF bigwigs who can do whatever they want. They told me that my land
was too big and that as Zanu PF youths, they had the power to seize any piece
of land with no consequences following them,” Ziwenga said.
He
said he made a report at Nharira Police Camp where he was told to wait for
further advice from the police.
When
contacted for comment, Jokonya calmly dismissed the allegations and asked the
reporter to attend a hearing of the case which he said was going to be held at
the Chivhu Magistrates’ Court.
“He
is telling lies. Nothing like that happened. I did not take the land away from
him and if he is the rightful owner, he can just produce the title deeds since
he claims he got the land from council. I did not assault him and you can
attend the trial at the court,” said Jokonya.

Another Masvingo cop on the run after raping daughter

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Another Masvingo cop on the run after raping daughter

Star Matsongoni
A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)
sergeant stationed with the Masvingo Provincial Legal Services is on the run
after revelations that he repeatedly raped his now 16-year-old daughter since
2017.
The 36-year-old police officer,
who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, was staying at ZRP
Zimuto Camp and is now understood to be now on the run.
Efforts to get a comment from
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula were
fruitless as she was said to be out of office and busy with preparations for
the agricultural show.
Sources said in March 2017, the
police officer raped the girl at their one-roomed Rujeko lodgings after her
mother went to their rural home, leaving her and her younger sibling in the
care of their father.
The police officer went on to
rape his daughter six more times on different occasions between April and May
2017, all the time threatening the victim against revealing the abuse to
anybody.
During the previous school
holidays (August 2019) the girl’s mother again went to the rural areas and left
the victim with her father at their Zimuto Camp house where they now stayed.
The cop then asked the girl to
accompany him to fetch some firewood in the bush along the Masvingo-Mutare Road
where he raped her again.
The victim, however, gathered
enough courage this time around and revealed the abuses to her two uncles who stay
at 4 Brigade army barracks but again cannot be named here to protect the
identity of the victim.
A police case under RRB Number
4150566 has since been opened against the offending officer and the victim was
referred to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for medical examination.
A few weeks ago, another senior
police officer who stayed at Phoenix Base fled after many years of raping his
step-daughter who is still in secondary school.

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