ZINA: Patients At Risk As Ngomahuru Hospital Falls Apart

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) is calling for urgent government intervention at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital in Masvingo, after a patient’s death brought to light what it says are life-threatening conditions at the mental health facility.

ZINA president Enock Dongo said the association is deeply worried about reports of crumbling infrastructure, poor security, severe staff shortages, and bad working conditions at Ngomahuru.

He warned that these problems continue to put both patients and healthcare workers at serious risk.

Dongo said a patient, Beatrice Murera, was found dead in the Tugwi River on Tuesday after she allegedly escaped from Villa Ward 2 and had been missing for several days.

Reports suggest Murera got out through a damaged section of the perimeter fence — a problem that has been flagged as a major security risk at the hospital for some time.

ZINA has also been told that the Acute Ward, where patients with serious mental health conditions need close supervision, is in a terrible state.

Ngomahuru is facing a critical shortage of nursing staff, too. According to ZINA, this makes it extremely difficult for nurses to properly supervise and care for vulnerable psychiatric patients. It increases the chance of patients absconding and puts both patients and staff in danger.

Dongo added that the hospital lost power last month after its transformer was destroyed in a fire. The blackouts have left wards in darkness, especially now in winter when the solar system can’t provide enough electricity to keep the lights on through the night.

Another major worry for ZINA is the hospital’s location right next to the Tugwi River. Patients who escape face life-threatening dangers, including drowning or crocodile attacks.

That, the association says, makes urgent upgrades to security and infrastructure a matter of life and death.

ZINA has appealed to all relevant authorities to urgently look into the circumstances around the incident and take immediate action to fix the problems.

“Priority must be given to repairing and replacing the damaged perimeter fence, rehabilitating the Acute Ward, restoring a reliable electricity supply through replacement of the burnt transformer, and addressing the critical shortage of nursing staff,” said Dongo.

“Furthermore, ZINA urges policymakers and all stakeholders to prioritise investment in Zimbabwe’s mental health institutions.

“Adequate infrastructure, reliable security systems, sufficient staffing, and essential resources are fundamental to protecting the safety, dignity, and well-being of patients receiving psychiatric care and to ensuring that healthcare professionals can perform their duties in a safe working environment.”