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THE theft of drugs, corruption and mismanagement at United   Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) flagged by Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini on Thursday is a deplorable and unacceptable occurrence. 

UBH is one of the country’s major referral hospitals and patients  trust it to provide them with quality healthcare and treatment.

Unfortunately, the actions of UBH’s senior management which Deputy Minister Kwidini said engages in these criminal acts undermine that trust. 

Not only do such actions lead to financial losses for the hospital, but more importantly, the lives of patients who are in need of those drugs that can’t be availed.

Stealing drugs is a criminal act that jeopardises the interests of patients. Forcing patients to buy drugs elsewhere when they are available at the hospital is not only unethical, but also places the lives of patients in danger. 

Patients rely on hospital staff to take care of them and administer the appropriate medication follow-up. Patients trust medical professionals and expect them to live up to their oath of providing the sick with the best medical care. Disrupting that trust not only creates an ethical breach, but endangers patient safety.

Corruption, be it at any level, is harmful to any institution and UBH management’s malpractices undermine the health system’s effectiveness. From allegations of improper referrals to overbilling, corruption in hospitals leads to systemic decay. 

People often assume the hospital working culture as professional, unbiased and achieved through evidence-based  medicine, but corruption contradicts this assumption and leaves a lasting impact on UBH’s reputation.

Mismanagement within a hospital setting is incredibly dangerous and can lead to chaos. It is the responsibility of the hospital administration to ensure that there are proper systems and procedures in place to safeguard drugs, maintain records and oversee personnel responsible for drugs.

When management fails to enforce proper drug management, patient care and safety are threatened. This is because stock-outs may occur and some medications may not be available when they should be, leading to patients’ suffering.

UBH’s notorious reputation created through the drug theft, corruption and mismanagement allegations significantly impacts healthcare provision in the country. 

Due to the increased costs of healthcare in such a hospital, access to medical care becomes challenging. 

Furthermore, hospitals perform many essential health operations, such as vaccinations and health checks. 

When hospitals fail to meet their obligations due to theft of drugs, corruption and mismanagement,  the country is exposed to major health risks.

There is a need for stringent measures to curb drug theft, corruption and mismanagement at UBH and the Government should take quick action to correct and prevent further damages.