Chinhoyi laboratory ranked No.1 in Zim . . . council re-engages 120 workers

THE Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital laboratory has been certified as the best Government-run entity, despite a shortage of pathologists which has hampered the opening of the pathology section for body tissue analysis.

With the latest ratings, Chinhoyi is moving towards attaining ISO certification.

The milestone comes after the hospital laboratory was rated the most improved laboratory from a pool of 20 laboratories in Central and Southern Africa in 2014.

CPH beat four other short-listed laboratories in Zimbabwe including Mutare General, Mpilo Central Hospital, Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital and Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

In an interview, principal laboratory scientist Mr Michael Nyika said the hospital got the rating after an assessment in December last year.

“The last time we had an assessment by the African Society for Laboratory Medicine we got a five-star rating,” he said.

“This is the first time that a public health laboratory has achieved that level. The assessment looked at our commitment and the composition of laboratory personnel.”

The hospital’s CPH machines are periodically serviced, which guarantees correct reading of samples and results.

The laboratory processes samples from other hospitals in Mashonaland West province, which has put pressure on its CHINHOYI Municipality has set aside its 2014 resolution to retire more than 120 workers after management re-engaged the affected employees.

According to council officials, council is considering rationalising salaries after it also reportedly failed to borrow $2 million which was intended for retrenchment packages for the staff to be laid off.

Chinhoyi has 372 workers chewing about $380 000 every month against revenue of around $340 000.

Speaking during a full council meeting at Town House on Monday, Chinhoyi town clerk Mr Maxwell Kaitano said council had since engaged the affected workers.

“The issue of retrenchment is an in-house one, therefore, it must first go to the finance committee and then tabled in council for adoption,” he said.

“As management, we have agreed with workers to rationalise their salaries

facilities.

The laboratory was equipped through the Zimbabwe China Project and the National Aids Council in its microbiology, bio-chemistry, blood transfusion, haematology and virology sections.

“We would want to open a section where tissues are examined,’ said Dr Nyika. and avoid downsizing.”

The issue is likely to be tabled before council this Friday.

Last year, Chinhoyi Municipality applied to Government for the authority to borrow $2 million which was supposed to go towards retrenchment.

Council had promised that the borrowed money would be repaid through savings.

The retrenchment of workers was aimed at cutting employment costs so that the municipality complied with Government’s 70-30 ratio for service delivery and employment costs.

Council’s latest move to rescind its decision on layoffs is in line with the new political dispensation which is calling for the creation of more jobs.

Chinhoyi has had several applications for city status turned down as it fell short of expected amenities.

The town is now repairing roads, putting up signs and collecting garbage in preparation for launching another bid for the status.

“We have a department, but we do not have pathologists and other specialists to open the department.

“The equipment is there, but the manpower is a challenge.”

There are also plans to make the laboratory a training centre for laboratory personnel, while the hospital is working towards ISO Certification.