Bulawayo hospital crisis

WATER shortages affecting the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe forced the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) to temporarily suspend operations over the weekend, Pindula News reported yesterday.

The situation remained critical despite emergency relief being provided.

UBH chief executive, Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, confirmed the situation and said that the weekend had provided special challenges but that the city council had provided the hospitals with an emergency supply of water and that staff were also using a Jojo tank which was linked to all operating theatres.

Nevertheless, the situation remained critical with the health and care of patients compromised, including maternity wards trying to operate with a water shortage, while the chance of infectious diseases being transmitted has spiked.

Hospital staff were hoping that the local authorities would attend to the problem urgently because despite reassurances from senior management that everything was under control the situation has persisted for nearly a month.

UBH is a combination of the Mpilo Hospital and Central Hospital. It is a government tertiary hospital subsidised by the Zimbabwean government.

It is located in the eastern side of the second largest city in Zimbabwe. |