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Mash West Bureau
Zvimba Rural District Council is on the hunt for health personnel to cover critical posts at its health centres which have been hit by staff shortages.

Zvimba RDC runs Mutorashanga Hospital and 20 other health centres in the district.

Some of the clinics include Mupumbu, Masiyarwa, Chirau, Jari, Chivhere, Trelawney, Aryshire, Vanad Mine, Mt Hampden and Nyabira.

Also in need of staff are Arda Assisi, Tobacco Research Board, Zowa, Jokwani, Kuwadzana, Herbert Chitepo and Chikoya Clinics.

In a statement, Zvimba RDC chief executive Mr Peter Hlohla said the staff shortages had become critical.

“The present structure of three nurses per rural health sector and three ancillary staff is a huge challenge because of workloads and populations served,” he said.

Mr Hlohla said Zvimba RDC has 127 staffers with 19 vacant posts within the sector.

“The sector also has shortage of resources, although council grants the sector $40 000 after every six months, it is failing to meet all running costs,” he said.

“We had a sustainability plan where communities would chip in with their development agendas but that has since been stopped.”

Mr Hlohla, however, said council was looking to fill in the vacant posts while improving the drug situation in the hospitals.

Zvimba RDC late last year also issued an appeal for ambulances amid reports that the district was being serviced by a single vehicle covering three hospitals and the clinics.