Times Of Swaziland: NO HELP FOR THE CRITICALLY ILL

NO HELP FOR THE CRITICALLY ILL
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 BY SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 15/08/2018 08:38:00


MBABANE – If you are in a critical condition and want help, you will not get
it at the Mbabane Government Hospital.
This is due to the shortage of vital drugs and working equipment, which could
result in the death of some of the patients.
The Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) unit at the hospital has also run
out of Unigold Testing Kits, which are used to confirm an HIV positive status.
Such is a huge blow following the rolling out of HIV Self Test Kits.
As a result, patients who want to test for HIV cannot do so, due to the
unavailability of this key equipment.
Also, over 10 drugs are not available at the hospital, making it difficult for
the nurses to execute their duties.
All this is happening at a time when government is facing serious financial
challenges.
It was established from sources that the crisis within the health sector was due
to the financial catastrophe faced by government.
As such, suppliers of certain drugs have not been paid.
Nurses are finding it difficult to give proper treatment to seriously ill
patients, due to the non-availability of what is known as the intravenous IV
cannular, which is a tube used to put medicines or fluids straight into the
blood system.
The nurses mentioned that the absence of this equipment also makes it impossible
for them to administer blood transfusion.
“It’s a serious matter. Patients will die if these issues are not
addressed,” some of the nurses said.
Picket
The health practitioners yesterday entered the second day of their picket over
the shortage of the drugs and certain equipment.
They are adamant that they will continue with the picket until the situation is
normalised at the hospital.