The Charges levied against Captain (Dr.) Paul Thistle

The Charges levied against Captain (Dr.) Paul Thistle

▪                Not following strict Salvation Army protocols regarding donation remittance (there is no suggestion that moneys were not properly submitted to the SA)

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◦                                  Those accusing Thistle were also guilty of sidestepping protocol-SA regulation

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▪                Not following CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) protocols regarding donations as it pertained to monies donated by IFHH and other Canadian donor groups

◦                                  Canadian officials were aware of the circumstances and did not voice or register any complaints

Disobeying orders from THQ and IHQ.

◦                                  This charge is not disputed. Dr. Thistle resisted attempts by Harare THQ to turn Howard Hospital into a for-profit private hospital, thereby maintaining affordable fees low for the very poor. He has also spoken out for the welfare of his staff, guaranteeing sustainable salaries and preventing Harare THQ from demanding arbitrary payments from HH employees. When he was dismissed, lower level employees’ salaries were cut by over 50%, salaries were late in coming, and employees were required to contribute to THQ SA meetings at Victoria Falls.

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▪                Thistle was accused of being stubborn, arrogant and unable to get along with people

◦                                  This certainly wasn’t the opinion of those who he served and of those with whom he served, nor of those who gave their money, or time and talents to travel halfway around the world to volunteer at Howard Hospital. Unfortunately, most of those at THQ and IHQ had not met or worked with Thistle, and the critique leveled again Thistle seeking his removal was based solely on the opinion of those wishing to get rid of him.

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▪                Not communicating with IHQ

◦                                  All correspondence with IHQ would go to Commissioner Makina’s desk first, making this accusation suspect.

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▪                Being "too big for his boots" and "going too far"

◦                                  True, but not out of pride. Humbly, he presented the world with the needs of the poor, and put Howard on a good financial standing.

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▪                Using outdated drugs and thereby endangering the lives of his patients

◦                                  A research conducted by the US Food and Drug administrator on behalf of the US military has shown that no danger existed, and that most drugs are still at ‘labeled potency’ even years past their expiry date.

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◦                                   Harvard University reported that medical authorities state expired drugs are safe to administer, even those that expired years ago. It's true the effectiveness of a drug may decrease over time, but much of the original potency still remains even a decade subsequent to its expiration date. There are a few rare exceptions, such as tetracycline, nitroglycerin, insulin, and liquid antibiotics, but these drugs do not represent the drugs used by Howard Hospital.
Dr. Thistle said: “I would rather give an outdated but still potent drug than no drugs at all”.

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◦                                  One of the containers of drugs bound for Howard was labeled "near expiry date" (it had been delayed) and did not reach the hospital, having been  "disposed of".

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▪                Performing complex procedures which the Army could not afford to cover in case of a malpractice suit

◦                                  This was said to Dr. Silverman, who became very angry and replied that the Army would not have to be concerned with malpractice, as Paul was held in the highest regard by his peers both in Canada and Zimbabwe

Turning the hospital from its original "Primary Care" model to a surgical specialist unit

◦                                  This accusation is false on both counts. From the start, Howard Hospital tried to provide total care, including dental, surgical, orthopedic, obstetric, and eye surgery, utilizing the skills of visiting doctors. The first doctor at Howard, Jock Cook, prided himself in being able to provide total care, including complex surgery.

◦                                  Thistle has been at the forefront of preventive medicine, especially in HIV and TB, with the collaboration of the highly respected Dr. Silverman and universities in Canada. This support has mostly come to a halt since he left, including a mobile educational team with puppeteers that covered schools and beer halls.

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▪                Attracting patients from all over Africa instead of concentrating on his own community

◦                                  This is true, and to be commended. These were high-paying patients, the income from which was used in providing care for the poor in the local communities

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▪                Thistle is white, and the hospital ‘should have black African leadership’.

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▪                That his pattern of leadership was neo-colonial.

◦                                  This is hardly true, as staff were free to run their own programs and make suggestions on how to improve hospital health provision services. All black African staff. Now they are all under tight Harare THQ control with no input requested from the HH staff.