The Ministry of Health and Child Care is facing a severe shortage of accommodation for its staff in Matabeleland South Province, with some health workers in Beitbridge town blaming poor administrative practices by officials at different hospitals of being partly responsible for the problems.
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Rudo Chikodzore told NewsDay that she is not aware of the maladministration but conceded that there is a dire shortage of accommodation. She said:
Such cases have not been brought to my attention and I request those deserving cases to write to me even anonymously so that we investigate to correct (the situation).
We have a serious shortage of houses for health staff throughout Matabeleland South and most people are sharing houses which are not encouraged and may not be permanent.
An official in the Department of Public Works charged with the construction and provision of government accommodation told the publication that the shortages started following the creation of a National Housing ministry which took over the allocation of houses.
The official added that the problem has been compounded by some civil servants who, having been transferred, hold on to houses at their past stations.
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