Mantiziba seeks to restore Mpilo to former glory

Since taking over the administration of the government referral centre last October, Mantiziba has saved the hospital from the verge of collapse. He has overseen the revamping of the dilapidated infrastructure and addressed the acute shortage of drugs, medical sundries, food and linen and the problem of over-crowding.

“At the centre of our challenges is a financial squeeze and reports of poor patient care. Realizing that the resources from government are not adequate to fund our activities, we have extended our begging bowl to the community for assistance,” said Mantiziba in a recent interview.

The hospital was allocated $4,1 million in the 2012 national budget, but this was reduced to $1.1million in June, causing a budget deficit of $3 million.

In December Mantiziba organised an all stakeholders’ resource mobilisation meeting at a local hotel, which succeeded in raising tremendous cash and in-kind support from the local community, artists, the international community and the business community.

“The response was very pleasing. We received assistance from companies, individuals and non-governmental organisations,” he said.

Mantiziba paid tribute to Bulawayo-based artists who provided free entertainment during the fundraising meeting, among them Amakhosi Dance Company and Kwabatsha. Cont Mhlanga, the Director of Amakhosi, has pledged to hold fundraising shows for the rehabilitation of the hospital’s operating theatres.

An association of Zimbabweans living in Geneva in Switzerland, Zim Health, donated a theatre and paediatric and maternity equipment worth $45,911.

The ministries of Finance and Health Child Welfare have released $800,000 for the revamping of the hospital’s radiology services, which had ceased to operate due to outdated machines.

The hospital has already acquired new simulators from Germany for the cancer unit and radiology services are set to resume in April. Currently, cancer patients are being referred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the only other government hospital which offers such services.

The hospital’s outpatient department and female ward B2, which were characterised by peeling walls and broken wooden tiles, have been re-painted and fitted with vinyl sheet tiles.

“Most of our rooms need urgent floor replacement. The hospital was forced to close the B6 male ward because the wooden floor had become a hazard to workers and patients,” said Mantiziba.

Most of the hospital’s roofing, equipment and elevators need replacement, while the autoclaves must be repaired. Because of poor equipment, several services have been compromised, notably them the infection control interventions.

According to Mantiziba, the hospital still faces a critical shortage of ambulances. At the moment, it only has two functioning ambulances out of a requirement of 12.

Most of the hospital’s infrastructure was built in 1957 to service the population in Bulawayo metropolitan province as well as patients from Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo province.

The medical institution is now overwhelmed as the population from its catchment area has grown 10-fold. Following the erosion of work ethics and professionalism, which reached its peak not only at Mpilo Hospital but all government departments during the height of the country’s economic crisis, the hospital recently embarked on customer care training for all staff members.

“The economic meltdown triggered a mass exodus of Zimbabwe’s experienced health workers. A number of new health workers who replaced these experienced workers had not received training in customer care. From then on we developed a crop of health workers who never received training in patients’ rights and customer satisfaction,” said Mantiziba.

The customer care training comes against the background of serious allegations of drug theft, fraud and ill-treatment of patients at the hospital.

The Bulawayo United Residents Association has also joined hands with the hospital to rebuild the hospital‘s battered public relations image.

“BURA has of late received numerous complaints of ill-treatment of patients at Mpilo. I am glad that the new Executive Officer has engaged us over this issue and we are working together to address the problems,” said Samuel Moyo, the BURA Secretary.

Moyo said his organisation was recently invited to take part in the crafting of the hospital’s strategic planning document. The hospital has also entered into strategic partnerships with the corporate world, the diplomatic community, government departments and the city council in the quest to restoring it to its former glory when patients from all over southern Africa used to seek special treatment there.

Mantiziba’s ultimate goal is to preside over a fully equipped and functioning hospital. “If one needs a service, it has to be made available and there is no excuse for failure to provide the required service,” he said.