Progress Muzuva’s case just a tip of the iceberg

By Johannes Marisa | 13h ago

LEADERSHIP involves a lot of skills that should guide and inspire others.

There are many characteristics of a good leader which include integrity, ability to

empower others, adaptability, ability to communicate effectively and a strong sense of empathy.

Emotional intelligence and empathy seem to lack in many of our leaders today, some of whom are full of arrogance, inconsideration, callousness or even abject ruthlessness.

It is an embarrassment that Progress Muzuva was neglected by the same system that she diligently served.

This is a straightforward case of occupational injury that should not have taken ages to solve as it only required empathic management to assist the young nurse.

Taking eight years to realise that she needs to survive is really a sign of leadership decay that should not be condoned by all sober-minded people in the country.

The attitude and behaviour of the Health ministry leadership in Masvingo province should be censured and appropriate action should be taken against all those who put the name of the ministry into disrepute.

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If we are to believe the viral audio of Muzuva, then the human resources heads at the district and provincial offices, the provincial nursing officers, the provincial medical director should answer why they ill-treated the young woman who was caught in work melee that destroyed her life forever.

Such conduct should never be entertained and this may only be a tip in the iceberg.

Muzuva could have been assisted in a number of ways, some of which are not even expensive.

Assisting her with a ambulance to ferry her to specialists could have been a huge milestone, arranging for her to be seen by neurosurgeons was going to be a positive development or even issuing her with a social welfare letter would have allowed her to be attended in government hospitals free of charge.

Arrogance destroyed the hearts of the so-called leaders in Health ministry in Masvingo province to the extent of shutting out such an incapacitated nurse.

Without a salary, how do we expect Muzuva, a bed-ridden patient, to survive yet she sustained occupational injuries?

Does it need a rocket scientist to intervene?

In developed and more health conscious countries, everyone involved in such dastardly acts should have resigned by now.

It is a waste of resources to initiate investigations into a case that seems obvious from the beginning and those implicated may still be occupying their offices.

Health workers face a myriad of occupational challenges when dealing with violent patients, some of whom may be mental patients with psychotic disorders.

The Health ministry should investigate possible cases of occupational injuries at mental health institutions like Ngomahuru and Ingutsheni Central hospitals.

It is not surprising that many people may come to report that they were injured in their line of duty, but could not get even mere appreciation and recognition from the authorities.

Some of the workers are low level employees who may have their grievances trashed by the same office-bearers who see themselves as demigods in the districts and provinces.

Sources of frustration are many in the medical sector in our country and I always complain about maladministration, arrogance and discourteousness at clinics, central hospitals, district and provincial hospitals, and head office.

The unfortunate truth is that we have managers and directors who have overstayed in offices and some of them have been there for over 10 years with no new ideas.

The Health ministry should open an occupational injury report desk.

In the event it does, it should not be surprised to witness thousands of workers coming to report that they were injured at work but were denied assistance.

Let us be considerate as leaders.

Johannes Marisa is a medical practitioner who is the current president of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe.