Gwanda Residents Demand Improved Health Services Ahead of Elections

Gwanda residents are hoping election candidates will push for improved services at the provincial hospital after the 2023 harmonised elections.

Amid rising concerns over healthcare quality and accessibility, Gwanda residents are uniting in a plea for better health services and increased accountability. As the upcoming elections loom, the community's collective voice aims to address the deficiencies that have plagued local clinics and hospitals.

BY LYNNIA NGWENYA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | AUG 9, 2023

GWANDA (The Citizen Bulletin) — With the forthcoming elections on the horizon, the people of Gwanda, Matabeleland South, find themselves at a critical juncture, one that they hope will mark a positive turning point in their healthcare journey. Driven by growing concerns over healthcare quality and accessibility, residents are rallying behind a shared demand: to witness tangible improvements in local health services.

As Gwanda's residents cast their gaze toward the future, their expectations are clear: they seek a commitment from aspiring candidates to prioritise the construction of more clinics and a steadfast dedication to monitoring and enhancing services within existing health facilities.

The spotlight is on the Gwanda Provincial Hospital, a site marred by tragedy when a resident lost their child due to medical negligence during childbirth.

“It is so sad if we fail to get assistance in an institution expected to deliver help. The weather was very cold on the day when the twins were lost, but the nurses let the mother deliver on her own outside, in the name of 'shortage of delivery rooms'. Honestly the sector has betrayed us.”

“We hope that the upcoming elections will change and improve services. We are voting in confidence and praying to God at the same time for many health facilities.”
Sibonile Nyathi, a resident who witnessed the passing of the babies

Anticipating the impending arrival of the August 23, 2023, polls, residents are enveloped in memories of a distressing incident from years gone by: a one-month-old infant who suffered the tragic amputation of her hand during a nurses' attempt to insert a cannula at the hospital.

“These are some of the well known cases involving lack of attention at critical moments in the lives of patients. There might be some cases likely to have gone unnoticed and undocumented over long periods of time,” says a resident from Dubane, who identified himself only as Mthabisi.

In the healthcare corridors of Matabeleland's hospitals, patients teeter on the edge between life and death, their need for immediate attention amplifying the urgency. The high stakes are glaring, with even the slightest delay in medical staff responses capable of tilting the balance, worsening conditions, and leading to heartbreaking loss of lives.

In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), the essence of health services lies in delivering precise care, precisely when it's needed, aligned with the intricate tapestry of service users' needs and preferences. This approach not only mitigates harm and wastage of resources but also underpins a fundamental commitment to well-being.

Lack of adequate resources at public health institutions has seen women giving birth under torchlights in Gwanda. Image by ANI

“What is so sad is that if an unfortunate incident happens, like the one of an amputation of a child's hand, you will be told that there will be an investigation done to ascertain the roots of the problem. But you will not hear of the results or the findings of the investigation,” Mthabisi adds.

Beyond instances of negligence and the deteriorating healthcare infrastructure in Gwanda, another compelling factor driving residents to participate in the upcoming elections is the urgent demand for an expansion of healthcare facilities.

“We urge the candidates to put health matters at the forefront. The people who want to lead us should push the agendas of public health rather than of personal interest and power.”

“We need more public clinics and hospitals. My opinion is that the number of available public health facilities versus the district's population is an unbalanced equation, therefore breeding poor service quality.”
Morris Moyo, a resident

Susan Dube*, a nursing mother who delivered at Phakama clinic, shares a harrowing experience she endured. Driven by the constraints of her situation, she found herself with no viable alternatives.

“There was no electricity at the clinic, nurses had to use my phone to light up the delivery room. I don't want to imagine how it was going to be if my phone had no power, or I had no phone at all,” says Dube.

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“These are some of the major concerns that aspiring candidates should put into great consideration and ensure construction of many public health facilities, offering almost all sectors of the public health needs,” Mthabisi adds.

Gwanda comprises three constituencies: Gwanda North, Gwanda Tshitaudze, and Gwanda South.

In Gwanda North, candidates are Desire Nkala (CCC) and Lungisani Ncube (Zanu PF).

Gwanda Tshitaudze features Fisani Moyo (Zanu PF), Jastone Mazhale (CCC), and Luckson Ncube (ZAPU).

Gwanda South sees Patrick Dube (CCC), Omphile Marupi (Zanu PF), Happy Gumbo (UZA), and Timothy Nare (ZAPU) as candidates.

Matabeleland is facing healthcare challenges attributed to the government's limited commitment to enhancing and establishing healthcare facilities. In the 2023 budget, Zimbabwe's Treasury assigned $473.7 billion to the Health and Child Care Ministry, accounting for 11.2% of the national budget—reflecting a noteworthy increase from the prior year's allocation of 10.6% for the Health Ministry. However, no official aggregated data is available yet to specify the precise allocation for the region.

Editor's Note: Some names marked with * have been altered to protect the privacy of sources.

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