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Negligence at Mpilo hospital
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
February 26, 2010

Comment

There is definitely something wrong with leadership priorities of our country. At a time when the educational system is on its knees, the health system is at a standstill because of shortages of human and medical resources and a massive drought is glaring at us, Bulawayo is hosting president Mugabe's lavish birthday bash. The celebration comes at a time when the association is conducting ward meetings across the city to provide a platform for residents to engage service providers as a way of finding solutions for problems besetting the local governance sector. What is even more ironic is the fact that parastatals are arguing that they cannot service the city properly because of financial problems and yet the same parastatals rush to donate towards a birthday bash. Residents view this as part of the payback plan that begins with the appointment of parastatals' chiefs and ends with perpetual patronage. Against that background the association welcomes the announcement made by the minister of state in the prime Minister's Office, Gordon Moyo, in meetings held over the past weekend. He stated that a cabinet committee to assess the operations of all parastatals has been put in place and will report back in two weeks. Hopefully the report by the committee will be publicized so that the majority of Zimbabweans will be able to evaluate the services provided by parastatals from an informed point of view.

Negligence at Mplilo hospital

Bulawayo residents have expressed concern over the suspected growing negligence of medical practitioners at Mpilo Central Hospital. The concerns were raised after the residents reported the evident increase in infant mortality. Residents argue that despite the fact that the hospital staff has an obligation of informing patients on unavailable yet necessary medication and where to access it, they have failed to fulfill this. On a number of occasions patients die because they have not been informed that there are no anesthetics, pints of blood or intravenous therapy not knowing that they have an option of getting these medical facilities from other sources. The Association has sent a team led by its Secretary for health to look into these allegations.

Unaffordable Tariffs

Residents' call for affordable tariffs has reached their zenith. During the meetings hosted by the association over the weekend, residents bemoaned the slow progress made by government in bringing about sanity in tariffs and charges. The association's meetings, held over the weekend to discuss service delivery, attracted a crowd of more than 800 residents in Cowdray Park, 600 attendants in Mabuthweni and 550 citizens in Pumula Old. This is a reflection of the seriousness and urgency within the residents when it comes to dealing with tariffs set by service providers.

Bringing the Bulawayo Power Station Back

Bulawayo residents have reiterated that the panacea to the electricity problems facing the city is the resuscitation of the Bulawayo Power Station. Residents have said this will alleviate an unburden Hwange Thermal Power Station which is said to be exporting electricity to Namibia. In response to ZESA's allegations, that the shortage of electricity was due to the overload at the Hwange Station, residents suggested revival of the Bulawayo Power station as a possible solution to ensure that residents in the region get adequate supply of electricity.

For more on the convention and results visit www.bprazim.org

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