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Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Chiredzi General Hospital officials yesterday revealed to the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa that they are owed more than $1,5 million in unpaid dues by patients. Minister Parirenyatwa, who was completing his tour of hospitals in Masvingo province, visited Chiredzi General Hospital yesterday after touring Masvingo Provincial Hospital and Silveira Mission Hospital on Wednesday.

Addressing guests during the tour, Chiredzi General Hospital accountant Mr Haurivi Zivuko said the hospital, which caters for more than 300 000 patients, was facing challenges in executing its day to day duties as most patients were not owning up on payments.

Mr Zivuko said the poor financial flow had seen the hospital failing to deliver the best of medical care to patients, as the officials at times struggled to purchase medical supplies and fuel for their service vehicles.

“Last year we requested for $500 000 from the Ministry and we were only assured that we would receive only $124 000,” he said. “Of the promised figure, we only received $27 000.

“On an important note we are owed $1 537 426,53 by patients whom we treated over the years. If it happened that we would have received all this money we are owed we would have improved significantly on service provision over the years.”

Mr Zivuko said the hospital owed other service providers, mainly Chiredzi Town Council and ZESA Holdings nearly $100 000.

After touring the facility, Minister Parirenyatwa said the hospital urgently required a new maternity wing, while proper medicine storage facilities should be put in place.

“The tour of hospitals in Masvingo province is important to us as it gives us an oversight of what is really happening on the ground,” he said. “From my observations, the hospital (Chiredzi General Hospital) has three doctors, but of all, none is a specialist.

“It’s time we encourage our specialists, mostly gynecologists, anaesthetic, physicians and generals surgeons to come. I have also noted that you don’t have a maternity ward. You can’t be relying on a structure which was constructed in 1963 in which someone who is yet to deliver, those delivered and those who have undergone operations are all pilled in one room.

“Your ward’s carrying capacity of 30 patients is way low for a district hospital. From your statistics last week, you had 65 pregnant mothers who wanted to deliver and how did you cater for them?”

Dr Parirenyatwa urged the hospital to engage Tongaat Hullet Zimbabwe to in cooperate with them on their Community Share Ownership Trust, as a measure to fast track the construction of required structures.

Chiredzi Medical Superintendent Dr Paul Ngere challenged Government to review its policy which insists that all mothers giving birth for the first time must do so at a hospital, not a clinic.

“We are getting pressure from all mothers coming from our 35 clinics,” he said.