FAITH NDOU
MASVINGO-At a time when the government is splashing millions of dollars on luxury cars and for its executives and new senators, it is failing to avail $10 000 required to buy a cable to restore electricity at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital which has been without power since April.
The shortage of electricity at an institution such as Ngomahuru can have serious negative effects on patient care and the overall functioning of the hospital. Power outages disrupt the operation of essential medical equipment, affect the refrigeration of medicines and food, and interfere with water supply where electric pumps are used.
Poor lighting can also compromise security for mental patients, particularly at night while interruptions to laundry, cooking, sanitation, communication and other support services can create difficult conditions for both patients and staff.
For a psychiatric institution, prolonged power shortages may further create an uncomfortable and stressful environment for mental patients, potentially affecting their wellbeing and making it more difficult for health workers to provide safe and effective care.
Workers are unable to use electricity powered irons, refrigerators, and electrical gadgets thereby affecting their moral.
“Its not all of us who can afford generators or gas stoves, they are expensive and this is forcing us to look for firewood which is causing environmental degradation at a time there is serious climate change,” said an employee at the age old institution on condition of anonymity.
The government has come under fire over the prolonged power outage at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital which has reportedly gone for nearly five months without electricity.
The specialised mental health institution has been without power since April 7, when its transformer was struck by lightning.
Although the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has installed a replacement transformer, power has not yet been restored because a cable which costs US$10,000 is still required.
The prolonged outage has raised concerns over the welfare of patients and the working conditions of healthcare workers at the institution.
Political analyst and prominent Masvingo opposition leader Jeffryson Chitando described the situation as a violation of patients’ rights, saying the government was failing to prioritise the institution despite its important role in the country’s mental health system.
“Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital has been the nation’s torch bearer in mental health provision in the region. Since 1980, the institution has treated many and has every citizen’s hope and faith as a centre of treating one of the most complicated diseases,” Chitando said.
“The government negligence of the institution exposes the level to which this government has fallen in priorities. People should be shocked to hear that Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital of all places has no electricity for such a long time.”
Chitando also raised concerns over the institution’s history of water shortages, saying the hospital had on several occasions gone for weeks without clean water.
“Many times the same hospital has gone for weeks without clean water. The government has the funds to throw lavish birthdays but can’t prioritise the health of its citizens,” he said.
Meanwhile, Masvingo Urban Constituency Member of Parliament Martin Mureri also criticised the prolonged power outage, arguing that the situation was putting patients and healthcare workers at risk.
“The government is abusing the rights of patients at the institution. US$10,000 is too little for the government to raise and fix that problem. Those who are responsible are failing in their work,” Mureri said.
He said the absence of electricity is particularly concerning at night, when adequate lighting is needed to ensure the safety of patients, nurses and other caregivers.
“Those wards need light throughout the evening so that patients won’t escape. The loss of electricity at the institution puts nurses and caretakers at risk as they won’t work overnight without it,” he said.
The concerns come as Ngomahuru continues to provide specialised psychiatric care to patients from Masvingo and other parts of the country.
The hospital’s prolonged lack of electricity has therefore raised broader questions about the prioritisation of mental healthcare infrastructure and the ability of authorities to respond swiftly when critical facilities experience breakdowns.
With the replacement transformer already installed, attention has now shifted to the outstanding cable required to reconnect the institution to the main grid.
The continued delay in restoring power has left patients and healthcare workers waiting for a permanent solution nearly five months after the lightning strike.
