BULAWAYO - A serious shortage of health personnel has hit Bulawayo clinics amid revelations that all the 19 local authority run clinics depend on one medical doctor, city health officials told The Zimbabwean on Sunday last week.We are facing an acute shortage of qualified and experienced workers. There is only one doctor yet we are supposed to have six while nurses number about 57 percent of what we need, said city health services director Zanele Hwalima. Hwalima was speaking at a 2010 budget consultation meeting held at the Large City Hall. She said the shortage of skilled manpower was one of council’s biggest challenges.
Hwalima attributed the serious shortage of health personnel to lack of resources to hire and retain qualified staff. Health personnel continue to quit and flock to neighbouring countries in search of better pay and working conditions. Revelations of staff shortages at Bulawayo clinics running comes weeks after The Zimbabwean revealed that a clinic in Zimbabwes second largest built several years ago with assistance from by the World Bank remains shut due to lack of funds to buy necessary medical equipment.
The city council apparently does not have cash to buy beds or hire nurses for the clinic in Mahatshula low-density suburb.