CHINHOYI — Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital has closed its intensive care unit (ICU) owing to obsolete theatre equipment, it has emerged.
The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Collet Mawire told the provincial Joint Operations Committee recently that his hospital was, as a result of the situation, referring patients to Harare Central Hospital, Parirenyatwa Hospital and Concession Hospital.
Among other challenges, Mawire said, the hospital’s HIV detecting CD4 count machines had also broken down while laboratory tests equipment had become obsolute. Boilers, washing machines and kitchen and mortuary freezers were also malfunctioning.
“Broken down ventilators and monitors have resulted in the closure of the hospital’s intensive care unit which means we are putting the lives of critically-ill patients at risk,” Mawire said.
“We are forced to refer serious cases to Harare, Parirenyatwa and Concession Hospitals.”
The medical superintendent also said the hospital urgently needed an autoclave machine which is used during surgical procedures after the one they had broke down.
The referral hospital ambulance had also broken down and patients were being ferried in hired transport.
The hospital boss told NewsDay bodies were decomposing in the mortuary because of constant power cuts and efforts to convince Zesa to spare the institution load-shedding had not been heeded.
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The hospital often ran without water as Chinhoyi municipality cut water supplies.
“This might seem an exaggeration of the state of affairs but a tour of the hospital will reveal more than meets the eye,” Mawire said.
The provincial hospital is a referral centre for 23 district hospitals in Mashonaland West province.