Zimpapers Logo

Although the clinic does not require patients to pay a consultation fee, it has been making them work on the clinic grounds prior to treating them.
It has also been learnt that the clinic has been neglecting women who would have given birth at their homes, saying they did not attend to such cases.
Speaking in an interview in Bulilima District recently, Mrs Milidzani Ngwenya said she had fallen victim to this practice after she had given birth while at her home and later went to the clinic for medical attention only to be turned away.

“I recently gave birth to a baby boy while l was at home because I could not make it to the clinic on time. When I eventually went to the clinic for the necessary medical attention, I was told to go back home because the clinic did not attend to women who would have given birth at home,” said Mrs Ngwenya.
Also narrating her ordeal, Ms Sibusisiwe Khuphe said when her daughter fell ill recently, she was made to clean the clinic’s grounds before she could be treated.
“Bengigulelwa ngumntwana ngathi ngifika eclinic yakoNdiweni kwathiwa kumele aqale acente engakelatshwa. Akubhadalwa imali kodwa kuyacentiswa abantu abagulayo. (My daughter was sick and when I took her to Ndiweni Clinic, she was made to clear the clinic grounds before she could receive treatment. There is no consultation fee but patients are made to clean the grounds),” she said.

Efforts to get a comment from the clinic’s authorities were fruitless as they demanded that this reporter have permission before they could say anything.
When contacted for comment, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera said he could not comment on clinics and a comment should be obtained from the provincial medical director.

“I do not comment on clinics, call the provincial medical director,” he said.