RESIDENTS have been urged not to shun Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo as officials maintain medical service delivery has improved considerably over the past few years.
According to the referral hospital`s clinical director, Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, the hospital used to record very high death rates, which have now reduced dramatically due to accountability measures that were implemented.
“In a day, one would find death rates of double digits but because we have taken measures to make sure people are accountable, we want to prevent those deaths that can be prevented,” Dr Ngwenya told CITE.
“Before, funeral parlours were feasting on the bodies that were coming out of Mpilo about 20 bodies a day. This has been reduced dramatically over the years to single digits and the people that die are from natural causes such as cancer diseases that we cannot prevent”.
He highlighted that of late, even funeral parlours had a tough time scouting for corpses at the hospital since deaths had reduced.
“Funeral parlours don’t have anyone to pick because the death figures are so low and this has been a very good thing for the hospital. We are proud of it and will do it more so that people who are not supposed to die will not die,” he noted.
As for the drug situation at the hospital, the clinical director said they have seen an increase in their drug stocks.
“We were really facing serious drug shortages at the hospital and we called upon the government which responded positively by capacitating Natpharm. Natpharm has been able to deliver vital medicines in the past few weeks and the medicine supply has improved.
“People may be wondering why I say improved – improved being vital, intravenous medications that allow us to save lives to bring people from the brink. The government has made sure that these medicines are available and they are continuously being delivered,” said Dr Ngwenya.
“The people may be asked to go and buy medicines like Paracetamol tablets but that doesn’t mean Mpilo Hospital has run out of medicines. All the vital medicines are available at the hospital and we are very grateful that the government continues to give us these medicines”.
Dr Ngwenya said the hospital “is a lifesaving institution” which serves attends to at least 600 patients a day and delivers an average of 30 babies a day.
“We record almost no maternal deaths from the hospital. We do major operations lifesaving operations and saved so many people, who reach thousands.
“Mpilo attends to thousands of people in the outpatient department. Our X-ray department serves 100 000,” he revealed.
