News / National
New machines lying idle at Zimbabwe's State hospitals
26 Jun 2017 at 07:34hrs | Views
Expensive medical equipment acquired by government for its struggling hospitals has been gathering dust for four years, forcing hundreds of patients to seek private services, because there are no technicians to install them, a report by the Auditor-General reveals.
The report said that equipment delivered to Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital and Mutare Provincial Hospital has been lying idle for over four years.
In January there wás a report by the Masvingo Mirror that the rot at Zimbabwes public hospitals continues unabated amid revelations that a new $70 000 dialysis machine sourced from China to benefit kidney patients at Masvingo General Hospital has been stripped of parts before it has even been installed.
Health minister David Parirenyatwa confirmed the matter and said investigations were being carried out.
Parirenyatwa said the government bought two dialysis machines for every provincial hospital in the country so that patients do not travel long distances to get the service, but sources said most of the machines have not yet been switched on because there are no resources for training specialised staff and constructing proper building structures for their housing.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people are dying every year because of kidney failures with Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital being the only public health institutions with functional renal units.
The procurement of the dialysis machines into public hospitals had brought relief to thousands of Zimbabweans, who suffer kidney failure, but cannot afford treatment. A few well-to-do Zimbabweans are getting treatment outside the country, particularly in India.
The report said that equipment delivered to Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital and Mutare Provincial Hospital has been lying idle for over four years.
In January there wás a report by the Masvingo Mirror that the rot at Zimbabwes public hospitals continues unabated amid revelations that a new $70 000 dialysis machine sourced from China to benefit kidney patients at Masvingo General Hospital has been stripped of parts before it has even been installed.
Parirenyatwa said the government bought two dialysis machines for every provincial hospital in the country so that patients do not travel long distances to get the service, but sources said most of the machines have not yet been switched on because there are no resources for training specialised staff and constructing proper building structures for their housing.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people are dying every year because of kidney failures with Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital being the only public health institutions with functional renal units.
The procurement of the dialysis machines into public hospitals had brought relief to thousands of Zimbabweans, who suffer kidney failure, but cannot afford treatment. A few well-to-do Zimbabweans are getting treatment outside the country, particularly in India.
Source - Daily News
