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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter

FIVE hospitals in Matabeleland South are operating without substantive districts medical officers (DMOs) and Health Services Board (HSB) has started hunting for candidates to fill the vacant posts.

Gwanda Provincial Hospital has no substantive medical superintendent while Bulilima, Insiza, Mangwe and Umzingwane district hospitals.

HSB spokesperson Ms Tryfine Dzukutu said the posts fell vacant after the incumbents were promoted and subsequently redeployed to major referral hospitals and health institutions with major posts.

“What happens is that some of these district medical officers would have applied to do other training programmes to upgrade themselves. Upon completion of the training, they will be promoted to specialist posts which are not at district hospitals.” she said.

“Such doctors will no longer be qualifying to remain at the district thus their posts fall vacant, which is why we are now looking for their replacements. Matabeleland South provincial medical director Dr Rudo Chikodzere said all the four affected hospitals in the provincial have been operating with acting district medical officers, including an acting medical superintendent at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.

“Our operations have not been affected in Bulilima, Insiza, Mangwe and Umzingwane district hospitals and Gwanda Provincial Hospital because we have acting DMOs and an acting medical superintendent at the provincial hospital,” she said.

In a statement, the HSB said it is looking for suitably and experienced candidates to fill the vacant posts for three medical superintendents at Gwanda Provincial Hospital, Chivhu General Hospital and Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

The HSB is also looking for DMOs to fill vacant posts in Rushinga district in Mashonaland Central and Seke district in Mashonaland East.

@mashnets