Health facilities suspend antenatal care

By Kundai Marunya

Several health facilities around the country have suspended antenatal care as Covid-19 cases and mortalities continue to rise in Zimbabwe, Nhau has learnt.
Officials that spoke to Nhau said this was done to protect health workers and patients alike in the wake of the virus that is killing at least one person every hour.
Antenatal care (ku scale), are periodical hospital visits for infants where progress of their growth is evaluated while vaccines are administered.
With the new Covid-19 variant not sparing children, health facilities are not taking any chances thus attending only children in need of vaccination.
When Nhau visited Ruwa Clinic, the usually congested facilities were almost empty. Few nurses attending to those who needed vaccination were giving strict orders only to visit for emergencies, special cases and vaccinations.
At the facility, one of the nurses tested positive for Covid-19, which is why healthcare workers have become overly cautious.
“We have long said there is no personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health workers, no designated buses to carry health workers, while the training is not as vigorous thus through mixing with people be it at work or in public transport, the nurses are exposed to Covid-19,” said Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president Enock Dongo.
“This has led to the increase in the number of nurses testing positive for Covid-19.”
Chitungwiza Municipality this week closed down its St Mary’s Clinic after facing a serious staff shortage. The shortage came about after seven Chitungwiza City Health Department frontline health workers tested positive for Covid-19 while one died.
“We now have a total of 21 of our frontline health workers that are currently in self-isolation because they are contacts of the positive cases,” said Chitungwiza Acting Town Clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu.
“Even before the onset of the pandemic, Chitungwiza Municipality was already short-staffed with respect to health professionals. The current circumstances have worsened these shortages of qualified health staff.
“As a result of the current severe shortages, and with immediate effect, Chitungwiza Municipality will be temporarily closing one of its municipal clinics; that is St Mary’s Clinic.”
Nurses have been increasingly contracting Covid-19 in the country.
Government has even gone on to hire 500 nurses to make up for the shortfall, but even that is not enough to keep health facilities fully functional.
“The strain of Covid-19 to already understaffed facilities has been serious that when they forgo some services it’s understandable,” said Dongo.
Dongo said Government has not fulfilled its promise to pay frontline workers US dollar lumpsums when they contract Covid-19.
“Our members have not yet received the money which is crucial to buy medication, food and even the home remedies to combat the disease.
“I understand that Government’s pledge will come through but administrative red tapes are strenuous to our people. Having that money paid in time is good for their well-being both socially and health wise,” he said.
“It does not help them much when they get the money after they have recovered, it doesn’t boost their moral, especially after having suffered, sometimes even borrowing to get basics.”
Efforts to get a comment from Ministry of Health and Child Care spokesperson Donald Mujiri were futile before publication.
Zimbabwe has for many years been dealing with a health crisis that has seen a serious shortage of medicine, health workers and necessities to deliver decent services to citizens. Multitudes of people have been dying due to poor service delivery.
Many children have been dying in antenatal care over the years. Nhau/Indaba