By Isaac Salima:
Shortage of some medical supplies has hit referral Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre.
Some health workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told us that the facility has been running out of surgical gloves, essential antibiotics and anaesthesia.
They said the problem has been there for almost a month “thereby compromising delivery of health care”.
“The problem has hit hard the labour ward and the theatre section because these things are needed there on daily basis,” the healthcare worker said.
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The surgical gloves are used to protect patients and health worker from the spread of micro-organisms that may potentially cause infection or illness during medical procedures and examinations.
The gloves have special characteristics and are different from the “usual” ones.
Anaesthesia is administered to patients during surgery to kill pain.
Another worker at theatre said a certain woman who was to undergo surgery had to wait for three days due to the problem.
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“We feel sad in such situations, but we are equally helpless. There are several challenges we face but we just work for the love of the job,” the worker said.
QECH director Kelvin Mponda referred us to Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe when we sought his reaction to the complaints.
“The ministry is working on drug stocks to all hospitals and they are able to discuss their position,” Mponda said.
QECH is a tertiary referral and teaching hospital in the Southern Region. It provides care to referred cases from district hospitals, health centres and private medical facilities.
