SYDNEY SAIZE RECENTLY IN BIRCHENOUGH BRIDGE
Villagers in Buhera district, Manicaland Province, are not happy with Birchenough Bridge Hospital management over its decision to afford them a single visit a day to see patients.
The hospital has been allowing three visits a day—in the morning, afternoon and evening.
However, it has resolved to allow only lunchtime visits.
Some of the hospital visitors with sick relatives said it was “irrational” to have one visit a day.
“After waiting all day and visiting a patient at lunchtime, one has to wait until the same time tomorrow without knowledge of how they have been in the evening, overnight and in the morning,” a Chapanduka villager, Pamela Murwira, told Business Times.
She said the decision was “outrageous”, urging authorities to address their concerns.
Another visitor to the hospital, Crispen Jori, said the hospital authorities need to be flexible.
“What is so special with Birchenough Bridge Hospital that it sticks to one visit yet we know other hospitals have three?” Jori asked.
Manicaland Provincial Medical director, Dr Simon Nyadundu was unavailable for comment.
However, an official at Birchenough Bridge Hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity said the single visit a day came as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We agree with the plight of the patients and visitors alike but we wait for order from the superiors to revert to the three visits a day as in the past,” the official said.
