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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
OFFICIALS at Mpilo Central Hospital have defended the operation they performed on a Zhombe woman saying the surgical glove she saw protruding from her sutured wound was not left by mistake.

They said the glove, one of whose fingers was seen a few days after the procedure protruding under her armpit, was left intentionally as an improvised surgical drain.

Nurses at Imbizo Clinic in Kwekwe discovered the glove sticking out among the stitches when Litha Ndlovu, 57, went for a dressing after the operation done at Mpilo Central Hospital. The nurses panicked and told her to return to the Bulawayo hospital.

Ndlovu accused doctors at the hospital of blundering and being unprofessional.

Mpilo Central Hospital’s clinical director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya yesterday said the hospital improvised in using the glove due to a shortage of surgical drains.

“It’s used to drain pus and other fluids from the wound to prevent it from swelling up and becoming sceptic,” said Dr Ngwenya.

He said using the glove was a standard procedure which does not affect Ndlovu’s health. “It’s a normal procedure. The only problem is that it wasn’t communicated to the patient. Due to economic challenges we improvise,” said the clinical director.

“We don’t have surgical drains. It can serve as a surgical drain and any plastic can be used for the same purpose.”

He said nurses at Mbizo Clinic were ignorant of general surgical procedures.

“We can’t blame the patient for panicking as the procedure was not communicated to her by my juniors. But the nurses at Mbizo clinic are the ones who should be blamed. Because from the way it was inserted it’s clear that it was not a mistake,” he said.

A local doctor who runs a private surgery also defended the hospital for the surgical operation. The doctor said it was standard procedure and blamed nurses for failing to show professionalism in communicating with patients.

After The Chronicle published the story about Ndlovu’s ordeal last week, Mpilo was criticised by members of the public for “gross negligence.”

Some people said the hospital’s action could have compromised Ndlovu’s life.

The hospital’s acting public relations officer Matron Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said at the time, that the procedure might have been a mistake, or had not been explained to the patient.