Mpilo hospital forced to improvise amid years of neglect

Chronic underfunding and prolonged resource shortages have forced staff at Mpilo Central Hospital to master the art of improvisation just to keep basic health services running, Chief Medical Officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga has revealed.

Speaking on Thursday during a handover ceremony where Nedbank Zimbabwe donated four orthopaedic beds to the ailing facility, Dr Dzvanga said the new equipment came as a rare and much-needed relief for the hospital's overstretched orthopaedic unit.

"The donation reminded us of equipment we had long forgotten about," Dr Dzvanga remarked. "We have become so used to doing without that when something like this arrives, it feels like an invention. It's shocking to see because such things had completely disappeared from our system."

For years, Mpilo staff have operated without crucial tools and basic supplies, including in some wards where even the most fundamental medical equipment has been missing. The toll, Dr Dzvanga said, has not only impacted patient care but has deeply affected healthcare workers.

"While the focus is always on the patient, we also need to care for the healthcare provider," he stressed. "Many are suffering from stress, depression, and dissatisfaction because they are forced to work without the proper tools."

He warned that neglecting the well-being of healthcare staff undermines the entire system, noting that "today's provider is tomorrow's patient."

The Nedbank donation came in response to appeals sent to over 20 companies - most of which never responded. While praising the bank's gesture, Dr Dzvanga raised concerns over a widespread reluctance to disclose the value of such contributions.

"We are told not to disclose the value of donations because it might discourage other potential partners," he said. "But the parent ministry needs to know what corporate Zimbabwe is contributing."

He emphasised that while the beds are appreciated, more essential theatre equipment - including orthopaedic drills and implants - remains urgently needed.

Even small acts of support, he added, can significantly boost staff morale.

"Bring us potatoes or vegetables and you'll see how excited our staff get. Even our nurses jump up with joy knowing the patients will have something extra for lunch," he said, citing regular cabbage donations from farmers in Nyamandlovu as a heartening example.

Dr Dzvanga extended an open invitation to members of the public and corporate sector to visit Mpilo and assess the hospital's needs first-hand, saying even help with window repairs, blankets or curtains could make a meaningful difference.

"We are not asking for the impossible - we are simply asking for a shared responsibility in saving lives," he concluded.

Mpilo Central Hospital is one of the country's major referral centres and continues to serve thousands despite dwindling resources, highlighting a wider crisis in Zimbabwe's public healthcare system.