Dr
Siamuchembu
stresses
that
expanding
healthcare
infrastructure
is
essential
to
achieving
universal
access
to
health
in
Bulawayo.
In
an
interview
with
CITE,
the
PMD
said
the
current
system
forces
central
hospitals
to
operate
like
large
district
hospitals,
limiting
their
capacity
to
handle
complex
medical
cases.
“Basically,
the
central
hospitals
are
working
like
big
district
hospitals.
At
night,
everybody
flocks
to
Mpilo
and
UBH
because
all
the
clinics
are
closed,”
he
said.
The
solution,
according
to Dr
Siamuchembu lies
in
establishing
more
district-level
and
provincial
health
facilities.
“We
think
that
our
central
hospitals
–
Mpilo,
UBH
and
Ingutsheni
are
swamped
by
sicknesses
and
illnesses
that
should
be
managed
at
lower
level
health
facilities,”
he
said.
“So
to
decongest
the
central
hospitals,
I
would
like
to
have
three
district
level
hospitals
and
one
provincial
level
hospital.
Yes,
one
provincial
hospital,
three
district
hospitals.”
Dr
Siamuchembu
explained
that
Bulawayo
Metropolitan
Province
has
three
administrative
districts
under
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care,
which
are
Emakhandeni,
Nkulumane
and
the
Northern
Suburbs,
with
each
of
those
needing
a
district
hospital.
“Then
I
think
we
need
a
provincial
hospital,
where
the
district
hospitals
can
be
referring
to,
before
patients
are
referred
to
the
Apex
hospitals,
which
are
the
central
hospitals,”
said
the
PMD.
He
also
stressed
having
additional
hospitals
would
allow
Mpilo,
UBH,
and
Ingutsheni
to
focus
on
specialised
care
and
complex
cases.
“That
would
leave
the
central
hospitals
to
provide
just
the
specialised
care
or
cater
for
complex
management
of
conditions,”
he
said.
Dr
Siamuchembu
said
he
has
engaged
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care,
which
is
still
assessing
the
proposal
and
trying
to
secure
funding,
adding
that
as
a
medical
professional
he
hopes
the
plan
comes
to
fruition
and
welcomes
support
from
well-wishers.
“Yes
I
have
engaged
with
our
parent
ministry
and
they
are
looking
at
it.
They
are
still
trying
to
find
money
for
that.
Yes,
it’s
something
that
they’re
still
assessing.
This
is
something
that
I
hope
comes
true.
So
if
we
can
push
well
wishers,
good,”
he
said.
Although
funding
remains
a
challenge,
the PMD
hoped
the
Ministry
of
Finance
will
allocate
necessary
resources
for
the
province
to
achieve
universal
health
access
by
2030.
Dr
Siamuchembu
also
said
that
his
role
as
PMD
involves
assessing
the
healthcare
needs
of
Bulawayo
residents
and
communicating
them
to
the
government.
“I
am
a
provincial
medical
director
and
my
job
is
to
assess
the
needs
of
the
citizens
or
the
residents
of
my
province
and
tell
government
that
for
us
to
achieve
universal
access
to
health
by
2030,
this
is
what
we
need
in
Bulawayo
Metropolitan
Province.”
As
for
the
location
for
the
new
facilities,
the
PMD
said
these
were
still
under
consideration.
“We
will
have
to
assess
and
decide
which,
what
location
is
best.
One
of
our
dreams
is
to
integrate
mental
health
services
with
other
clinical
services
at
Ingutsheni.
So
Ingutsheni
is
a
possible
location
for
the
provincial
hospital.
Yeah.
But
we’ll
have
to
consult
with
all
the
stakeholders
and
agree
what
the
best
location
is.”
Dr
Siamuchembu
said
he
has
also
engaged
private
partners
on
this
initiative.
“Yes,
there
is
a
trust
or
an
organisation
that
came
to
my
office.
They
said
they
wanted
to
build
a
hospital
in
Nketa
in
memory
of
someone
important
to
them.
They
wanted
my
advice
and
I
told
them,
what
would
work
is
if
they
looked
at
the
provincial
desires
and
build
the
hospital
in
line
with
these
desires,”
he
said.
“So
they
said
they
were
going
to
look
at
it
and
come
back
to
me.
I’m
still
waiting
for
them
to
come
back.
It’s
been
maybe
two
months
ago.“
The
PMD
clarified
that
while
central
hospitals
are
not
overwhelmed,
minor
ailments
dominate
patient
visits.
“I
don’t
have
the
statistics
off
my
head
as
to
how
many
patients
pass
through
the
central
hospitals
but
understand
that
I
did
not
say
Mpilo
or
UBH
overwhelmed.
I
said
they
are
swamped
by
minor
ailments,”
he
said.