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Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter 

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has availed 37 junior doctors to address a critical shortage of doctors at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. 

According to officials, the hospital was operating with a shortage of about 82 health practitioners.

Mpilo Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said he was grateful for the Government’s efforts to boost the health care delivery system at the public institution. 

The hospital is the second biggest referral hospital in Zimbabwe, providing services to people from Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. 

“We have since received an additional 37 doctors from our Government to help avoid unnecessary deaths as Mpilo is facing a critical challenge in terms of doctors. It is a good sign that indeed our pleas are being considered though we still have a long way to go in terms of ensuring we have enough doctors and specialists,” he said. 

Available junior doctors at Mpilo are said to be working about 130 hours a week instead of the 56 hours prescribed in their contracts. 

In a letter addressed to Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo last week, junior doctors at Mpilo said they cannot continue working 130 hours per week. 

Their representative Dr Mthabisi Bhebhe said Mpilo cannot be run by a few junior doctors with no supervision or assistance from seniors as that compromises the health of members of the public. 

According to Dr Bhebhe, no junior doctor should be in the casualty ward and doing calls alone more than twice a week as prescribed in the work contracts. 

“The Ministry of Health must take the health of the people in this region seriously by immediately deploying the remaining number of 60 junior doctors who have just completed their studies. 

“These measures must bring an end to the situation where surgery junior doctors are made to do calls every single day while their medicine counterparts are made to manage the whole Mpilo casualty alone without due supervision,” he said.

—@thamamoe