Makumbe Mission Hospital, the primary medical facility serving Goromonzi district in Mashonaland East province, has been exposed for its severely limited mortuary capacity.
Despite catering to a catchment area of approximately 600,000 people, the hospital’s mortuary can accommodate only three bodies at a time.
During a recent inquiry by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care, a morgue attendant highlighted the critical situation at Makumbe Mission Hospital, bodies from across the district, some traveling distances of up to 100 kilometers, often find themselves unattended on the hospital floor due to the mortuary’s inability to store more than three bodies simultaneously.
Goromonzi district, one of nine in Mashonaland East province, is grappling with a healthcare crisis exacerbated by systemic challenges such as medical supply shortages, financial constraints, and a significant exodus of healthcare professionals. Makumbe Mission Hospital’s mortuary capacity issue underscores the broader struggles facing Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.
The hospital, situated 32 kilometers northeast of the capital, Harare, covers a vast area spanning 2,459 square kilometers or 254,072 hectares. Despite its crucial role in providing healthcare services to the region, the facility’s limited mortuary capacity highlights the strain on the entire healthcare infrastructure.
Source Newsreportzim.com
