Rolling power cuts cripple maternal healthcare services in Harare clinics

Harare's municipal clinics are struggling to provide essential maternal healthcare services due to crippling power cuts, an investigation by NewsDay has revealed. The blackouts, which often last more than 15 hours a day, have severely disrupted operations, putting expecting mothers and newborns at significant risk, particularly in emergency situations.

Without access to reliable alternative energy sources such as solar backup, the consequences of power outages have been dire. In some cases, clinics are left unable to power critical equipment such as incubators, oxygen machines, and sterilization units, jeopardizing the lives of both mothers and babies.

Nyarai Rutsito (41), a mother who recently gave birth at a local polyclinic, recounted her harrowing experience when the power went out during labor. "I had been in labor for several hours when the electricity suddenly went out," she said. "The nurses told me I needed an emergency Caesarean section because my baby was in distress. But they couldn't put me on oxygen due to the power outage. I was terrified, lying there in the dark, praying they could save me and my child."

Rutsito was eventually transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where she received oxygen in an ambulance. However, she highlighted that the generator at the clinic wasn't working, and there was no functional solar backup.

This lack of power infrastructure has had devastating consequences in clinics across the city, especially those like St. Mary's Clinic in Chitungwiza. A midwife, speaking anonymously, revealed that in some cases, staff are forced to use candles or phone flashlights during labor. "It's terrifying, especially in cases of complications," she said, noting that many clinics lack functioning solar systems or lithium batteries.

Harare's health services are already under strain due to understaffing and underfunding, making the effects of the blackouts even more severe. Harare mayor Jacob Mafume acknowledged the issue, stating, "We are going to make sure that all our council clinics are backed up with solar units. Babies cannot come out from darkness into darkness."

Currently, only two out of four clinics in Chitungwiza have functioning solar backup systems, according to Tafadzwa Kachiko, a spokesperson for the municipality. "We used to have solar power at all the clinics, but the systems at Zengeza and St. Mary's are no longer working. We are working to upgrade these systems."

The Harare municipality, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has begun the process of installing new solar systems at several clinics. So far, 12 polyclinics have received solar backup systems worth $240,000, with additional installations at Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital and Wilkins Hospital.

Health experts, however, stress the urgent need for all health facilities to have consistent power backup systems. Enock Dongo, president of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, warned that power outages are putting pregnant women and their newborns at risk, while medical expert Johanne Marisa revealed that around 37% of maternal deaths in Zimbabwe are linked to power outages.

"There is no health institution that should be running without a power backup. Failure to provide alternative energy sources is suicidal," Marisa said.

Maternal mortality in Zimbabwe currently stands at 363 per 100,000 live births, highlighting the need for urgent intervention. Local advocacy groups, such as the Combined Harare Residents Association, are also raising concerns about the dire conditions at clinics, calling for increased government support in addressing the power crisis and ensuring uninterrupted access to maternal healthcare services.

Efforts are underway to improve the situation. Solar-powered boreholes and lighting systems have been installed at some clinics, and California-based NGO We Care Solar is working with the government to provide solar power to health centers across the country. However, much more remains to be done to safeguard the lives of Zimbabwe's most vulnerable mothers and their children amidst ongoing power challenges.