Shortage of doctors hits Mashonaland West province

Health & Fitness
BY NUNURAI JENA There is a serious shortage of medical doctors in Mashonaland West province to an extent that Chinhoyi Hospital, a provincial referral health centre, is being serviced by one local government doctor.

The province has a population of over 1,2 million people.

Addressing a meeting after several complaints from Chinhoyi residents and villagers from surrounding areas, provincial medical director Wensilus Nyamayaro, described the situation as “very critical”.

“The situation is pathetic but there is little we can do,” said Nyamayaro.

“The salary and incentives cannot lure doctors to come to the province, worse still to smaller towns like Karoi and Chegutu.”

Towns such as Kariba, Banket and Kadoma are also being serviced by one doctor each while Karoi and Chegutu have no doctors at all.

Nyamayaro also revealed that they have not been allocated doctors for the last two years while those seconded to the province had turned down the offer due to poor remunerations and working conditions.

He said doctors leave for greener pastures soon after finishing housemanship. Zimbabwe’s doctors are on high demand in countries like South Africa, Britain and America.

Many residents of Chinhoyi said they were unhappy being treated by the four Cuban doctors at the provincial hospital citing language barriers.

Nyamayaro however said there was nothing wrong with Cuban doctors, noting however he preferred them to stay longer in the area in order to acclimatise with the local communities.