There is a major clash between nursing staff posted in Seke district and the leadership comprised of District Nurse Officer (DNO) and District Medical officer (DMO) amid allegations that the leadership is soliciting for gifts in return of favors to subordinates, Zim Morning Post has learnt.
The DNO Edwick Mvere reportedly uses her office to impose her two favorite nurses(names withheld)as the only beneficiaries who attend lucrative workshops.
Conflict of interest has also been noted with DMO Bolan Madede accused of ‘sub- contracting’ nurses from the same hospital to work in his surgery situated less than 500 meters away from the medical centre.
This has prompted nurses to threaten to stage a demonstration.
Sources who spoke to the Zim Morning Post and chose to remain anonymous said there was an outcry from the staff which was being sidelined by their superiors.
“Most of the staff has failed to attend many crucial workshops because they are not favored by the DNO who has monopolised the selection process to only benefit her friends,” the source said.
“It seems there is an arrangement of sorts between Mvere and mainly two nurses, Loveness Saidi and Robson Chihlaba who are always benefiting from all programs that go through her office. We were all shocked when we learnt that Saidi had bought furniture for Mvere as well as groceries for her, then it became apparent to us that she was buying favors and we were far from seeing the corrupt system fall so every health worker can have the same opportunities to learn just like any other and we are now tired of this setup and we’re planning on demonstrating, maybe that way we will be heard.”
It was also alleged that drugs were being looted from the medical center ranging from family planning pills and injectables as well as antibiotics and some of the loot was sold at the DMO’s surgery while others were sold at the black market.
The DMO Mudede who is supposed to be the doctor for the district opened his surgery a few meters from the hospital and he would get his stuff to work at his surgery from among the stuff from Kunaka Hospital.
“Chihlaba once stole drugs and a hearing was set for him and it is believed that he is now working with the DMO and the DNO as well in taking the drugs to the surgery.
“Most of the drugs at Ariel medical center are taken from the hospital by the nurses who work for him while also employed by the government. When patients come for help, the stuff working part time at the surgery refer them to the surgery for assistance instead of treating them as is expected of them.“
The district has been robbed of a qualified doctor as he has confined himself to only dealing with administrative work and working almost full time at his surgery where he is found from lunch hour till late furthering his personal business while billing the government for services that he is not rendering to the district. The community members are now resorting to going to the provincial hospital for medical attention instead.
There are rumors of theft of money in the district where the DNO, DMO as well as the accountant squander money and when issues are raised they quash the allegations by transferring the individuals who would have gotten wind of it.
When this reporter went to try and get clarity on the matter from Mvere, she together with Saidi and Chihlaba were reported to be away on a workshop .
The staff from the 14 medical centers that fall under Mvere have tried reporting the matter and writing unanimously to the provincial office to have the issue addressed but her friends at the province as she alleges always get wind of it first and destroy the letters before anyone else learns of them.
All the implicated personel’s phones were not reachable.