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Mbofana demands probe into mother's death
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PROMINENT blogger Tendai Ruben Mbofana has petitioned health authorities to institute an independent inquiry into the treatment and death of his mother at Gweru Provincial Hospital last year, alleging possible negligence by hospital staff.
In a letter dated January 24, 2026, addressed to Midlands provincial medical director Dr Mary Muchekeza, Mbofana said his 77-year-old mother, Anastacia Takazvida Mbofana, died on the morning of October 4, less than 24 hours after being admitted to the female surgical ward the previous afternoon.
According to the complaint, Anastacia had been referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital for specialist assessment after being diagnosed with bowel obstruction. Mbofana alleges that at the time of admission, his mother was clinically stable, though in pain, and that her condition was not classified as an emergency by medical personnel, including a specialist surgeon who examined her on the afternoon of October 3.
However, Mbofana said the explanation later provided for her death - respiratory complications arising from pleural effusion leading to multiple organ failure - raised serious concerns about the adequacy of monitoring and care she received.
He noted that his mother had a documented respiratory history, having been diagnosed with pleural effusion about three weeks prior to her admission and having undergone a chest drain. He said medical records, including a chest X-ray taken shortly before her transfer, showed compromised lung function and were available to hospital staff at the time of admission.
"My mother was referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital not because she was terminally ill, but because she had been diagnosed with bowel obstruction requiring assessment by a specialist surgeon based in Gweru," Mbofana wrote.
"At the time of admission, she was clinically stable, albeit in pain. Her surgery was not classified as an emergency, and no immediate life-threatening concerns were raised by the medical personnel who examined her, including the specialist surgeon who saw her on the afternoon of admission.
"The official explanation later given for her death was respiratory complications due to pleural effusion leading to multiple organ failure. This explanation raises serious and troubling questions regarding her monitoring and care."
Mbofana is questioning whether routine respiratory monitoring, including blood oxygen saturation testing, was conducted and properly documented during his mother's admission.
He further alleges that, unlike during previous admissions at Kwekwe General Hospital and a private clinic, where his mother was consistently placed on oxygen therapy, oxygen was not administered at Gweru Provincial Hospital.
"Despite this known condition, it remains unclear whether basic and customary respiratory monitoring, specifically blood oxygen saturation testing using a pulse oximeter, was conducted," he wrote.
"In her previous admissions at Kwekwe General Hospital and Topomasi Clinic, she was consistently placed on oxygen therapy. At Gweru Provincial Hospital, there is strong reason to believe that oxygen therapy was not administered despite her documented history."
While acknowledging the resource constraints faced by public health institutions, Mbofana said his concerns went beyond funding challenges and pointed to possible failures in discipline, systems management and professional duty of care.
He also questioned why an X-ray ordered by the specialist surgeon was not performed, alleging that radiography services were unavailable at the time.
"Upon admission, the specialist surgeon explicitly instructed that my mother undergo an X-ray. However, the radiographer could not be located, repeated attempts to contact her failed, and the procedure was deferred to the following morning," he wrote.
"This represents a serious administrative and operational failure, particularly in a provincial referral hospital, and may have deprived clinicians of critical diagnostic information."
Mbofana further raised concerns about staffing levels, handover procedures and overnight supervision at the hospital, arguing that the issues collectively suggested possible failures in clinical protocol and accountability.
"These issues, taken together, suggest possible failures in clinical protocol, monitoring, staffing accountability, and basic standards of care," he said.
Contacted for comment, Dr Muchekeza said she had not yet received the letter.
In a letter dated January 24, 2026, addressed to Midlands provincial medical director Dr Mary Muchekeza, Mbofana said his 77-year-old mother, Anastacia Takazvida Mbofana, died on the morning of October 4, less than 24 hours after being admitted to the female surgical ward the previous afternoon.
According to the complaint, Anastacia had been referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital for specialist assessment after being diagnosed with bowel obstruction. Mbofana alleges that at the time of admission, his mother was clinically stable, though in pain, and that her condition was not classified as an emergency by medical personnel, including a specialist surgeon who examined her on the afternoon of October 3.
However, Mbofana said the explanation later provided for her death - respiratory complications arising from pleural effusion leading to multiple organ failure - raised serious concerns about the adequacy of monitoring and care she received.
He noted that his mother had a documented respiratory history, having been diagnosed with pleural effusion about three weeks prior to her admission and having undergone a chest drain. He said medical records, including a chest X-ray taken shortly before her transfer, showed compromised lung function and were available to hospital staff at the time of admission.
"My mother was referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital not because she was terminally ill, but because she had been diagnosed with bowel obstruction requiring assessment by a specialist surgeon based in Gweru," Mbofana wrote.
"At the time of admission, she was clinically stable, albeit in pain. Her surgery was not classified as an emergency, and no immediate life-threatening concerns were raised by the medical personnel who examined her, including the specialist surgeon who saw her on the afternoon of admission.
"The official explanation later given for her death was respiratory complications due to pleural effusion leading to multiple organ failure. This explanation raises serious and troubling questions regarding her monitoring and care."
Mbofana is questioning whether routine respiratory monitoring, including blood oxygen saturation testing, was conducted and properly documented during his mother's admission.
He further alleges that, unlike during previous admissions at Kwekwe General Hospital and a private clinic, where his mother was consistently placed on oxygen therapy, oxygen was not administered at Gweru Provincial Hospital.
"Despite this known condition, it remains unclear whether basic and customary respiratory monitoring, specifically blood oxygen saturation testing using a pulse oximeter, was conducted," he wrote.
"In her previous admissions at Kwekwe General Hospital and Topomasi Clinic, she was consistently placed on oxygen therapy. At Gweru Provincial Hospital, there is strong reason to believe that oxygen therapy was not administered despite her documented history."
While acknowledging the resource constraints faced by public health institutions, Mbofana said his concerns went beyond funding challenges and pointed to possible failures in discipline, systems management and professional duty of care.
He also questioned why an X-ray ordered by the specialist surgeon was not performed, alleging that radiography services were unavailable at the time.
"Upon admission, the specialist surgeon explicitly instructed that my mother undergo an X-ray. However, the radiographer could not be located, repeated attempts to contact her failed, and the procedure was deferred to the following morning," he wrote.
"This represents a serious administrative and operational failure, particularly in a provincial referral hospital, and may have deprived clinicians of critical diagnostic information."
Mbofana further raised concerns about staffing levels, handover procedures and overnight supervision at the hospital, arguing that the issues collectively suggested possible failures in clinical protocol and accountability.
"These issues, taken together, suggest possible failures in clinical protocol, monitoring, staffing accountability, and basic standards of care," he said.
Contacted for comment, Dr Muchekeza said she had not yet received the letter.
Source - online
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