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Zimbabwe's biggest state hospital stops operations
Mon. February 25, 2008 07:47 am.- By Bonny Apunyu. -
(SomaliNet) Due to a breakdown of equipment and shortages of drugs, Zimbabwe's biggest state hospital had stopped surgical operations, a rights group said Sunday.
"There is a critical shortage of items ranging from anaesthetics to surgical equipment at Parirenyatwa Hospital," said Douglas Gwatidzo, chairperson of Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights.
"Surgeons can carry out operations, but they are saying they cannot risk their profession and increase the risk on the lives of the patient. They are not prepared to be blamed for an operation which goes wrong because it was done without the necessary equipment, and operating on a patient when there are no painkillers to relieve their pain amounts to subjecting that patient to torture."
Parirenyatwa Hospital was referring patients requiring emergency operations to Harare Central Hospital which is also battling with shortages, Zimbabwe’s state-owned Herald newspaper said.
Those who can afford it are referred to private hospitals.
Deputy health minister Edwin Muguti blamed the shortages on Western-imposed targeted sanctions.
"Government is aware of the serious anaesthetic drugs shortages. These are results of Western-imposed sanctions. We can't promise when the situation will return to normal, but we want to assure the nation that we are treating this as an urgent matter," he said.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of economic crisis with annual inflation running at more than 100 000 percent. - Sapa-AFP
News Category: Africa
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