(SomaliNet) In reaction to a drastic drop in the number of staff turning up for work, authorities have shut down key units at the four largest hospitals and health delivery services at Zimbabwe's main referral hospitals have virtually collapsed. According to reports Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals in the capital and Mpilo and Bulawayo central hospitals in Bulawayo have closed most departments, leaving only the casualty wings, and are operating with skeleton staff, as health professionals and aides fail to turn up for work due to low salaries.
The situation was worsening every week, with no sign of a solution in sight, sources at the government hospitals said.
Meanwhile, officials said the maternity wing at Parirenyatwa Hospital was closed last weekend, compelling expectant mothers to turn to expensive private hospitals. Many more, however, have resorted to fly-by-night maternity homes in the high-density suburbs, where sanitary conditions are said to be appalling.
ZimbabweÂ’s deputy Health Minister Edwin Muguti, admitted the situation at hospitals was critical. But he insisted the government was working to minimise inconveniencing patients. "There has been no improvement since the workers stopped coming to work. But we are trying our best to keep the hospitals open and fully functional," said Muguti. "We are doing something for the workers, including nurses and doctors, but we fear our efforts as far as awarding better salaries and working conditions are concerned are being eroded by inflation.
The problem is the economic difficulties we are facing."
Stakeholders reported that staff at Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals were only attending to emergencies. The situation in Harare has been compounded by the closure of almost all municipal clinics due to a lack of personnel, drugs and equipment.
Sources say, in Bulawayo, the situation at Mpilo Central Hospital was yesterday reported to be serious. A skeleton staff consisting entirely of trainees was said to be attending to emergency cases. Things were no different at Bulawayo Central Hospital.
The Zimbabwean government in February, tried to mollify health workers by announcing two salary increments within a month after a crippling six-week strike. Nurses were awarded an additional $263 000 on top of their improved January salaries of $195 000, bringing their monthly earnings to between $458 000 and $500 000.
Wards visited by this newspaper at Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals on Tuesday were deserted, with nurse aides, administration and general staff having stayed away. Health Minister David Parirenyatwa admitted earlier this month that health workers could no longer afford bus fares to and from work. On a salary of $500 000, a nurse needs to pay an average of $840 000 in bus fares per month.