By Rex Mphisa
THE Beitbridge District Hospital has run out of medical drugs after redirecting its supplies towards thousands of returnees pouring into the country following their ejection from South Africa.
Officials believe there is an urgent need for Government and its partners to deploy more supplies to avert a crisis waiting to happen.
A fully-fledged clinic has since been established at the Beitbridge Reception Centre which to date has handled more than 40 000 people.
Most people handled at the clinic reported upper respiratory diseases.
In a comprehensive report that caught the eyes of the UN Humanitarian Resident Coordinator Rosemary Kalapurakai during her visit to the Reception Centre last Thursday Beitbridge District Medical Officer Linos Samhere was concerned about depleted supplies.
“Our clinic started operating on June 18, 2026 and runs 24 hours daily – day and night shifts with a staff compliment including Registered General Nurses (including mental health), nurse aides, environmental health practitioners, nutrition department, laboratory, pharmacy, social workers, general hands and administration and logistics,” he said.
As at Thursday when Kalapurakai visited accompanied by Daniel Garwe, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, the hospital had seen 1 474 patients of which 929 were females, 545 males and 457 children under 15.
Of these, Samhere said, 698, 553 of these female, had upper respiratory tract infections, 398, of which 271 were females, had headaches, 74 of which 36 were female had tonsillitis and 90 women from a total of 98 people had muscle pain attributed to transporting condition during transit.
Samhere said the clinic also did HIV testing and 46 people had been tested while other diseases people were treated for included Emesis, Allergies, Injuries, Eczema, Arthritis, tuberculosis, Peptic Ulcers, Conjuctivitis, Renal Failures, Epistaxis, Asthma, child deliveries (1), schizophrenia, Toothaches, Rape and Epilepsy.
He said the water supply was well catered for with supplies from boreholes on site and purified water from well wishers although the same could no be said of toilets in short supply resulting in open defacation.
There are fixed toilets and 16 mobile ones but an ideal situation needs 30 toilets at the centre, he said.
As regards Waste management Beitbridge Municipality dispatched refuse compactor daily while Geo Pomona Waste Company’s arrival co-incided with Kalapural and Garwe visit.
Samhere said a cholera isolation centre had been set up in preparedness although there had been no cases reported.
Top on the challenges faced was the inadequate drug supply, Infection prevention and control (IPC) and toilets while on the solutions implemented to date was the deployment of key staff, availing of drugs and sundries and seeking of support from partner organizations including (MSF, UNICEF, Red Cross, NAC, and Higher life foundation, IMC).
The potential threats at the centre remained infectious diseases outbreaks like cholera which Samhere said the clinic was worried about.
On he other hand, he said, family and child health services were under control and the Expanded Programme on Immunization and catch up vaccinations were being executed
The clinic was also extending maternity services and for HIV, pre-existing ART clients under existing structures received attention for several diseases including mental health, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer and for drug and substance abuse.
Samhere said on reintegration after leaving the centre structures existed in their respective districts.
“Ministry of Health and Child Care structures already in place and fully functional starting at village level. Strong community support network through existing programmes will strengthen surveillance at all levels of care within MOHCC,” he said.