The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has warned that the nearly five-month power outage at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital in Masvingo has exposed deep cracks in Zimbabwe’s public health system and is threatening patient care.
The specialist mental health institution has been without electricity since 7 April, when its transformer was struck by lightning.
Although the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has since installed a replacement transformer, power has not been restored because a cable costing about US$10,000 is yet to be procured.
Speaking to The Midweek Watch, CWGH executive director Itai Rusike said the situation at Ngomahuru reflects the wider challenges facing public hospitals, where qualified health workers are often forced to operate in difficult conditions due to poor infrastructure and limited resources.
“The prolonged power cuts at health facilities affect the ability of health workers to diagnose, treat and manage conditions effectively,” said Rusike.
“Hence, health facilities should be allocated dedicated electricity lines that are exempted from power cuts and disruptions.
“Theatres and laboratories need electricity to function properly and for staff to conduct tests. When these services are not available, patients may be forced to seek healthcare from the private sector, which may be too expensive for the majority of poor people who do not have private medical aid insurance cover.”
Rusike urged the Government to accelerate investment in renewable energy for public health institutions, saying reliable electricity is essential to quality healthcare.
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