Residents Voices Issue 38

Bulawayo currently has only two major referral hospitals, Mpilo Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals which were constructed years ago for a smaller population. The rest are private entities that the majority of residents cannot afford to consult. Residents have proposed that the government should take measures to get Ekusileni on its feet. Not only would this benefit the city in terms of health delivery, but it would be a fitting sign of respect for the late Vice presidents Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo who was committed to seeing the institution provide quality health care. Residents proposed that if the government has no money to resuscitate the structure, then it should consider handing it over to the City Council of Bulawayo that is effectively running other health facilities in the citys wards. Also, there is the other option of Public and Private Partnerships (PPPs) that would see the involvement of private players to ensure that Ekusileni is opened to the public and is run efficiently and appropriately.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that patients seeking medical treatment from local council clinics are being stigmatised by nursing staff at respective health institutions. It is alleged that patients often wait for assistance for up to 3 hours without receiving any treatment. This conduct, by people who are meant to serve the public and whose salaries are paid for by tax payers, residents said, is unwarranted and inhumane. People seeking treatment from these institutions have bemoaned the fact that some nurses are corrupt and deliberately ill-treat patients and delay rendering treatment to patients to create an artificial shortage of essential drugs. These nurses further exploit the plight of ailing patients by selling drugs which are meant to be for free. Under the pretext of going for tea and lunch, the health practitioners lethargically attend to ill patients who would have woken up in the wee hours of the morning to seek medical attention. Government and local authorities should seek to redress these abnormalities to ease pressure on the national fiscus which has been corroded by corruption and has seen the health sector becoming overstretched. Patients, who constitute the taxpayers, have also succumbed to illnesses that would otherwise need just a tablet or two. Residents have been clamouring for local clinics to give preference to people suffering from HIV and AIDS.

Female convicts and juveniles in dire-straits

The condition of the prisoner in Zimbabwe has always been an uncomfortable one. In years gone by, the condition of prisoners has been worsened by the deteriorating economic environment in Zimbabwe. In a normal situation, prisons are meant to be correctional facilities that seek to rehabilitate offenders and criminals. The weakening condition in the prison system needs urgent financial attention for refurbishing the dilapidated structures, proper nutritional diets, the construction of adequate infrastructure and introduction of relevant rehabilitation programmes. The current situation in prisons all over the country is not fit to cater for juveniles and female prisoners with children since resources required for rehabilitation are either inadequate or unavailable. Lack of funds has dealt a nasty blow to prison services in the country as the sector has struggled to cater for growing populations in juvenile and women inmates. These convicts have to bear the brunt of the institutions failures. The conditions in the prisons present a challenge, considering that most juveniles are first time offenders, exposing them to such conditions plays a pivotal role in hardening them psychologically and emotionally, creating a vicious circle of perpetual criminals/crime. Funds should be sought and allocated by government to address the situation in our prisons. Alternatively, the government could introduce a parole system specifically for female and juvenile first time offenders as a rehabilitation measure.

ZESA & ZRP collude in crime

RESIDENTS have for the umpteenth time expressed dismay with the conduct of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA). Apparently, ZESA has engaged armed police officers of the ZRP to escort the utilitys employees who are disconnecting residents with outstanding bills. The ZRP is playing the role of being the armed protective wing of ZESA and this coalition of terror is wreaking havoc in the high density suburbs of Bulawayo. Residents complained that the police, who are supposed to enforce the ruling of legislative bodies such as the Competition and Tariffs Commission(CTC),are actually helping ZESA defy the law. They pointed out that this shows the absence of the rule of law as the police, instead of safeguarding the well-being and welfare of citizens, was aiding the power parastatal in making the lives of residents a living hell. To date the parastatal has not followed the commissions ruling, but has instead stepped up efforts to collect its dues from debtors. Residents noted that one ZESA employee was heard to say that ZESA employees also want bonuses just like everyone else. Residents are disheartened by this and have described it as a case of bullying by a parastatal that is abusing its monopoly to take advantage of Zimbabweans.

BPRA will be hosting a Social Accountability Conference under the theme Promoting Local Democracy at the large city hall in Bulawayo on 5 December 2010. The conference is aimed at promoting a culture of engagement between residents and policy makers as a way of promoting transparency and accountability. Further details will be communicated.

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