By Beatific Gumbwanda
Chiredzi General Hospital, the district’s sole government referral hospital, is under scrutiny
following allegations that hospital staff are redirecting patients to private facilities for X-ray and
scanning services, allegedly in exchange for commissions, despite the government having
provided the hospital with a state-of-the-art machine two years ago.
The alleged practice has raised concerns among residents and stakeholders, who question why
patients are being referred to private service providers when the hospital has government-
provided equipment intended to serve the public.
Patients, including pregnant women, were allegedly being directed to private ultrasound
scanning facilities located a short distance from the hospital, despite the availability of
government-owned equipment.
Speaking to TellZim News, one patient who declined to be named for fear of victimisation said
she had been forced to pay US$30 for an X-ray after being referred to a private facility despite
the hospital having a functional machine.
“I just followed the instructions the nurses gave me to have a scan. Nobody told me that there is
a functional one at the hospital and I was told to seek these services from a specified provider,”
she said.
The allegations further suggest that some patients may be subjected to unnecessary X-rays and
scans, with the purported intention of generating commissions for those referring them to private
service providers.
Efforts by TellZim News to get a comment from Chiredzi General Hospital Medical
Superintendent David Tarumbwa were futile as he did not answer his cell or respond to
WhatsApp messages sent to his number.
Speaking to TellZim News, Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association chairperson Jonathan
Muusha called for an investigation by the Provincial Medical Director’s office into the alleged
conduct of hospital staff.
“It’s very painful that nurses are directing patients to get X-ray services at private clinics. We
appeal to the Provincial Medical Director’s office and the Public Service Commission to
investigate and bring the culprits to book. Government did its best to purchase a digital X-ray
machine at Chiredzi Hospital,” said Muusha.
Chiredzi Central legislator Ropafadzo Makumire, who had previously advocated for the purchase
of the digital X-ray machine, told TellZim News that he would engage the hospital
administration to establish why patients were allegedly being referred to private facilities despite
the availability of the equipment.
“I will reach out to the hospital administration to address this before the issue is escalated. No
one should make profit from people’s illness, especially when the Government has provided
equipment for public use. We have struggled to get that machine, and we continue to redirect patients to the private sector,” said Makumire.
