Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Maternity equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars has been lying idle for the past 27 years after the Chiredzi Town Council reportedly failed to open a maternity wing at their polyclinic. The development has created pressure at the Chiredzi General Hospital, which can only admit 67 expecting women.

Chiredzi West Member of Parliament Cde Darlington Chiwa this week proposed that the polyclinic be surrendered to Government as council has failed to fully utilise the facility.

“The polyclinic is our only immediate solution to end the crisis at Chiredzi General Hospital,” he said.

“If council has failed for such a long time, we must just help them by giving the clinic to the Ministry of Health and Child Care so that the maternity ward becomes operational.” Cde Chiwa said the town’s population was growing significantly and could not be serviced by a maternity wing with 67 beds. “Our town has more than 50 000 people now,” he said. “We cannot have 67 beds for such a huge population. What is required now is a collective approach in which everyone moves in towards solving this problem.” Chiredzi district medical superintendent Dr David Tarumbwa said the hospital had capacity to second a doctor and some midwives to the polyclinic.

“If the polyclinic opens, we are going to ease congestion at the general hospital,” he said. “What is happening is that there are a lot of midwifery personnel with limited working space.” Chiredzi Town Council secretary Mr Charles Muchatukwa said council had budgeted for the opening of a maternity wing at the polyclinic.

 

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