Emganwini clinic downgraded to 'baby clinic'

A year after its opening, Emganwini Satellite Clinic in Bulawayo has significantly scaled back its operations, reportedly due to a critical lack of running water. The clinic, initially designed to serve the entire Emganwini community, has downgraded its services to focus primarily on infant care, leaving residents frustrated and concerned about the facility's inability to offer comprehensive healthcare.

Constructed with Constituency Development Funds, the clinic was expected to provide residents with much-needed access to healthcare closer to home. However, its capacity has been severely limited due to resource shortages, particularly the absence of running water. This has forced patients and nurses to rely on nearby homes or a distant borehole for basic water needs, including toilet use.

In a recent interview with Sunday News, Emganwini Residents Chairperson, Mr. Dickson Munkuli, expressed disappointment with the Bulawayo City Council, which had promised to install water pipes at the clinic. Despite the presence of a water tank on site, no action has been taken to ensure the clinic has a consistent water supply.

"The council had promised to install water pipes at the clinic since its opening last year, but we have not seen any action being taken to fix the water issue," said Mr. Munkuli.

The situation has worsened to the point where patients, including the elderly and disabled, are forced to walk long distances to fetch water from a borehole for toilet use when visiting the clinic. A local resident, Mr. Sibangilizwe Mpofu, recounted his experience when he had to get water from the borehole for his sick child to use the clinic's toilet.

"I once came here with my child who was sick, and when the minor needed to use the toilet, we were told there was no water. We had to fetch water from a borehole some distance away," said Mr. Mpofu.

Residents have raised concerns about the health risks posed by the lack of water at the clinic, warning that the situation could compromise hygiene and patient care. They fear that the water shortages could lead to the spread of diseases in a facility meant to promote healing.

In addition to the water crisis, the clinic is also grappling with severe shortages of essential medicines and medical equipment. This has left elderly patients, in particular, vulnerable, as they are often referred to other clinics for treatment due to a lack of resources.

"My 45-year-old mother was referred to another clinic due to the lack of medication. It's heartbreaking to see our elderly suffering, and the clinic failing to provide for them, focusing only on children," said Miss Nombulelo Ndlovu, a concerned resident.

Attempts to address the clinic's challenges have been slow. A scheduled residents' meeting to discuss the clinic's operational failures was called off after none of the invited stakeholders, including local authorities, turned up.

As the situation worsens, Emganwini residents continue to call for urgent action from the authorities to ensure the clinic becomes fully operational and delivers the healthcare services it was intended to provide.