RECENTLY, there were reports of allegations of a baby swap at United Bulawayo Hospitals that happened on October 10, 2024 last year, a stark reminder of the possible rot that can fester within our healthcare institutions.
This heinous act, which left two families distraught and searching for answers, demands a comprehensive and transparent investigation to unravel the truth.
It was appalling that the nurse allegedly implicated in this scandal remained employed at the hospital, and not suspended pending a thorough inquiry.
This raises serious questions about the hospital’s commitment to accountability and the potential involvement of a larger network of rogue employees.
The fact that top officials at the hospital seemed reluctant to take decisive action suggested that there may be more to the story than meets the eye.
Top officials must be seen to be acting and must act when such issues arise.
Furthermore, the Health and Child Care ministry’s deafening silence on the matter was equally disturbing.
As the custodian of the nation’s health, the ministry has a duty to ensure that our healthcare institutions operate with integrity and transparency.
- Hospitals face acute staff shortage
- ‘Blood, drug shortages hit UBH’
- Man fatally assaulted over touting
- Byo vendors, council clash over vending bays
Keep Reading
The ministry’s failure to publicly condemn the incident and launch a swift investigation raised concerns about its commitment to protecting the welfare of patients.
A genuine mistake should have called for United Bulawayo Hospitals top officials to issue a public apology.
Such crimes are heinous and they deserve to be dealt with transparently and diligently, with the public constantly updated on the developments.
But the ministry’s deafening silence only serves to fuel speculation.
We believe that what happened at United Bulawayo Hospitals is merely a tip of the iceberg.
We also believe that there may be a network of people involved in this sinister business and it is imperative that a thorough investigation is conducted to uncover the truth.
The integrity of the nursing profession has also been called into question.
Nursing is a noble profession that demands honesty, compassion and integrity.
We should never reach a point where the profession is hijacked by individuals who value money over life itself?
We demand answers.
Zimbabweans deserve to know the truth about what happened at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
We call on the Health and Child Care deputy minister Sleiman Kwadini, the hospital administration and law enforcement agencies to update on the nation about the developments that have taken place so far.
We also want to see those responsible for such acts brought to justice.
In particular, we expect Police Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba to act swiftly and decisively in this matter.
Remember, life is sacrosanct.
We want to see him bring the individuals involved to book so justice is served.
Government must be strict about who it hires at such critical institutions.
There should be strict background checks to ensure that only individuals with the highest level of integrity are admitted into the profession.
As the saying goes, “life is sacred”.
We cannot just stand by while the lives of innocent citizens are compromised by the actions of rogue individuals.
We demand justice and we demand it now.
