THORNGROVE Infectious Diseases Hospital in Bulawayo continues to be understaffed since the COVID-19 era, when it operated at 61% capacity four years ago with the situation continuing to deteriorate.
According to the Bulawayo City Council, the hospital was operating with 216 nurses out of the required 354.
BCC’s health services director Edwin Sibanda yesterday said the situation had worsened compared to the period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The staffing situation is no better, it is worse now. We operate 21 clinics but the human resource complement is getting worse monthly,” Sibanda said without giving specific figures.
He said Thorngrove Hospital got professional doctors from Mpilo Hospital during the pandemic but they returned to their workplace.
“The doctors went back to Mpilo when COVID-19 numbers fell, while the nurses are there. No further deployments were received,” he said.
Sibanda said while the hospital was functional, there was a need to address the staff shortages, adding that recruitment with retention strategies may help to improve the situation.
Four years ago, Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital was given an added responsibility to take care of COVID-19 patients in Bulawayo and the entire Matabeleland region.
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The hospital was designated a coronavirus isolation centre in March 2021 during the pandemic.
