Parliament concerned about Mpilo Hospital – One malfunctioning radiotherapy machine, patients sleeping on the floor awaiting admission

on April 11, 2024 in News

CONCERNS have been raised over the deteriorating state of Mpilo Hospital which is in dire straits with one malfunctioning radiotherapy machine and no accommodation for patients awaiting treatment.

Mpilo is the biggest referral hospital servicing Bulawayo and some parts of Matabeleland and according to senators is taking a strain.

Bulawayo senator, Linda Sibanda said the radiotherapy which has been malfunctioning for four years is disadvantageous to cancer patients.

“The radiotherapy machine at Mpilo Hospital has not been functional since August 2020, which is four years back. When you are doing radiation there, you are given about 23 sessions to do using a radiotherapy machine.

“I had to undergo therapy there and I think I only did 17 sessions and the machine broke down. Up to now, the machine has not been working. We have got so many people suffering from different cancers in Zimbabwe and Mpilo Hospital is one of the biggest referral hospitals. Now, it is four years since the machine broke down,” said Sibanda.

The situation at Mpilo Hospital is a reflection of the state of public healthcare institutions in the country which are buckling under maladministration and lack of proper funding.

Zimbabwe’s health sector has been under strain with hospitals understaffed and lack of medical sundries.

Lilian Mlilo concurred with Sibanda adding that patients at Mpilo Hospital are sleeping on the floor as a result of inadequate accommodation.

“My question has already been asked as part of a question, but I am going to talk about Mpilo Hospital as a referral hospital.

“Looking at the whole of Matabeleland, particularly considering the population and the huge traffic of people who go to Mpilo, what plans has the Minister in terms of assisting people so that they get accommodation instead of sleeping on the floor,” said Mlilo.

SOURCE:: NewZimbabwe via link https://www.newzimbabwe.com/parliament-concerned-about-mpilo-hospital-one-malfunctioning-radiotherapy-machine-patients-sleeping-on-the-floor-awaiting-admission/

Late presentation of childhood cancer derails cancer fight

on April 11, 2024 in News

The World Health Organisation has set a target of 60% coverage of childhood cancers by the year 2030 and Zimbabwe is still lagging at 20%

Stakeholders in the healthcare sector have decried the late presentation of childhood cancer cases saying that it was a derailing efforts to fight the  disease.

The World Health Organisation set a target of 60% coverage of childhood cancers by the year 2030 and Zimbabwe is still lagging at 20%.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Husqvarna Kidzcan Mud Run fundraising event on Saturday last week, cancer care nurse Charity Kawadza said they were making efforts to ensure that the survival rate of childhood cancer patients increases.

“Zimbabwe is a country which has been designated in the low to medium income countries catergory, which means our survival rate is about 20%.

“We want to raise the survival rate as high as possible. If we can get as high as 60%, which is being advocated for by World Health Organisation by the year 2030,” she said.

Kawadza said as a result of the aim to eliminate childhood cancers they had come up with a home for patients where they are given support and shelter as they undergo treatment processes.

“The other part we’ve added recently, which is a year old, is the home, what we call a halfway home. It is called Rainbow Children’s Village.

“It’s under three partners, KidzaCan, Meikles Foundation and Roundtable. Patients who come to stay with us at the village are those who are in between treatment.

“They would have already started treatment and they need a small break, but they cannot go home, which is maybe too far, so we house them until they get to their next appointment.

 “We are giving drugs, giving all the support, but the element of treatment adherence is also very important.  The number one cancer for children in Zimbabwe is leukemia, which is a blood cancer,” she said.

Mud Run founder Grant Mitchell said they were raising funds for KidzCan, adding that the organisation was doing a great job in the fight against childhood cancers.

“This is the 12th consecutive year. We didn’t stop through COVID. We were able to keep the event going through the years of COVID, obviously under the watchful eye of the SRC and the ministry,” Mitchell said.

SOURCE:: NewsDay via link https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/health/article/200025422/late-presentation-of-childhood-cancer-derails-cancer-fight

Malaria Cases Surge In Zimbabwe With Five Fatalities in a Single Week

on April 11, 2024 in News

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has reported a total of 1,588 confirmed cases and five fatalities of malaria within a single week.

According to the Disease Surveillance Report for the week concluding on March 24, 2024, the MoHCC highlighted that among the reported cases, 140 affected children were under the age of five.

The report outlined specific locations of the fatalities, notably including Centenary district (1) and Mt Darwin district (1) within Mash Central province, district (2) in Masvingo province, and Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo province.

Mashonaland Central province documented the highest number of cases at 901, followed by Manicaland province with 243 cases.

These statistics contribute to a cumulative total of 10,957 malaria cases and 15 fatalities nationwide.

Malaria, an infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes, continues to pose a significant health threat, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Given Zimbabwe’s warm and humid climate, the nation remains especially vulnerable to malaria outbreaks, particularly during the rainy season.

In other health-related news, this week witnessed the reporting of 525 cases of dog bites, with no recorded fatalities.

Among these incidents, 131 individuals were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 190 by unvaccinated dogs, and 204 by dogs with an unknown vaccination status, as outlined by the ministry in a public notice.

SOURCE:: 263Chat via link https://www.263chat.com/malaria-cases-surge-in-zimbabwe-with-five-fatalities-in-a-single-week/

Health minister bemoans skills flight

on April 11, 2024 in News

Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora

HEALTH and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora has admitted that the brain drain has left the health sector on its knees, denying patients access to primary medical attention.

Mombeshora revealed this in Parliament this week, while responding to written submissions made by legislators on the state of the health sector in the country.

He said the ministry is struggling to fill vacant posts.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care is currently facing challenges with inadequate numbers of staff,” he said.

“This has been exacerbated by the cholera outbreak and building of new facilities which have increased the burden on the staffing levels at institutions across the country.”

“The Health Service Commission continues to engage with the Treasury, seeking creation of new posts to enable the ministry to adequately staff both the existing and new health institutions.”

The health sector has been hard-hit by a mass exodus of doctors, nurses and other experienced personnel protesting poor salaries and working conditions.

Most of the health professionals have left for the United Kingdom in recent years, with estimates putting the figure at over 3 000 since 2022.

In 2018, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga grabbed international headlines after firing over 15 000 striking nurses.

He was forced to reverse the decision a few days later.

Chiwenga was accused of using “military-style tactics” to intimidate health workers from downing tools.

During his time, the ministry announced plans to ban doctors and nurses from striking for more than three days under proposed amendments to the Health Services Act.

Under the changes, worker representatives charged for inciting nurses and doctors to embark on strike action deemed illegal faced jail terms.

SOURCE: NewsDay via link https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200025290/health-minister-bemoans-skills-flight