Banket hospital accused of negligence

An Ngezi family has lodged a complaint with the Health and Child Care ministry accusing Banket hospital of negligence after their son succumbed to a snake bite at the health institution.

According to the family, Brian Jnr Jena died at the hospital a fortnight ago without being attended to as the doctors on duty could not be located.

Brian Jena Snr who works at a platinum mine was in grief in an interview with Standardpeople as he narrated how his son died a painful death, crying for help with no doctor available to attend to him, or administer the antivenin injection.

According to a letter of complaint, Brian Jnr was bitten at Muriel mine compound around 1pm on Christmas day and was ferried to Banket hospital where the doctor on duty could not be located.

The doctor only arrived 8 hours later when the deceased was already blinded by the snake poison and died moments later.

“The doctor was not around when he was needed most and we are left with many questions than answers. Where was the doctor on duty? Are the doctors on strike? If they are on strike they should come out clear,” said Jena’s uncle, Kennedy Piti .

Zvimba District medical officer Terence Dandazi said they were short-staffed at Banket hospital, and many other clinics as most health workers were in isolation because of Covid-19

Mashonaland West provincial medical director Gift Masoja confirmed that the family contacted him over the matter.

Recently, a former Alpha Media Holdings Bulawayo regional manager Peter Dube died after a snake bite in Gwanda as there was no antivenin injection at the mining town. Dube died while waiting to be transferred to Bulawayo, over 100 kilometres away. —