FSAOF CommentaryTariro – An ongoing story of hope Part three

FSAOF CommentaryTariro – An ongoing story of hope

Part three

Hope for today (Continued)

As stated in the article, the Howard Hospital, like any other mission hospital located in a country where there is political instability and in-fighting, daunting financial issues and crushing poverty, is not exempt from the problems in the community surrounding it, nor is it immune from internal issues with its parent organization.

On one hand, the author of the article praises the Howard by stating that it is running well and treating patients as usual, and continues with the praise by stating it has a fine reputation and good facilities, practice and staff.  

Then, the article moves into a discussion of the surgical practices, past and present, at Howard. It is at this point, one must stop and consider what is really being said and not said in this portion.

It is understood that the whys and wherefores were not appropriate for this article, it is an egregious lack of respect to not name (then Captain) Dr. Paul Thistle as the CMO of the Howard until August 2012. Dr. Thistle gave 17 years of service to the people of Chiweshe AND the Salvation Army at Howard Hospital. Regardless of the reason(s) why he no longer serves at Howard, he is due the respect and recognition that is lacking in this article. It is unconscionable to leave his name out.

Furthermore, the article states that “historically it (Howard Hospital) has not always had a trained surgeon on site”. This statement could not be further from the truth. In the early 1960's it had visiting government surgeons, doctors Rittey, Wolffe, and MacIntosh. In 1965, Dr. Jock Cook was its first resident surgeon, followed in 1970 by Major (Dr.) James Watt (R) with a residency in surgery. In 1972, Major Watt was joined by Dr. Pat Hill, a full-time obstetrician with surgery experience. There was an 18-month break without resident doctors during the worst of the war (1978/79), but even then, Major Watt performed surgery on days he visited the hospital.   Several surgeons followed, with Dr. Thistle arriving in 1995.  August 2012 to the present is the only other time without a formally-trained surgeon capable of conducting advanced surgery.

It is difficult to understand why having a surgeon at a hospital should be considered an aberration, excellence be frowned on and mediocrity praised.  Surgical services pay for themselves; primary care does not.

Again, one can see the continuation of egregiously neglecting to acknowledge the service provided by these talented and dedicated doctors. What is to be gained by willfully ignoring the contribution of these surgeons? The only conclusion that can be reached is that it is a purposeful attempt to downplay the work that has been done at the Howard Hospital over the last 50 years. This paves the way to moving the Howard into the Salvation Army’s new model of medical missions, where primary health care will be its main focus. The Army is moving away from hospital-based care.

The doctors listed in the report as having provided surgical capacity for the Howard after Dr. Thistle’s departure are only capable of performing limited types of surgeries, including caesarean sections. It should be noted that the two doctors on staff had received additional surgical training under Dr. Thistle.

The Provincial Medical Director (PMD) is quoted as saying that the decline in patients was due to misinformation and a misconception on the part of the locals as to the presence, or lack thereof, of a doctor at Howard.  The local residents have strongly contradicted this statement.

According to reports from them, they stopped coming initially as a protest of The Salvation Army. There is another, albeit small, government hospital nearby (the Rosa Clinic) with a visiting doctor who provides most of the same types of care as Howard Hospital. Additionally, the locals indicated that they initially avoided the Howard because of the presence of the Zimbabwe secret police, as requested by the then-Territorial Commander, Commissioner Vinece Chigariro, to stifle any further protests over Dr. Thistle’s dismissal.

Now, over a year after Dr. Thistle’s departure, the locals avoid the Howard because it refers patients to the big hospitals in town, which they cannot afford. Instead, they do their best to get to Karanda Hospital.

To further quote the PMD “… it is now the same as the other district hospitals in terms of referral.” The Tariro article acts as if this is a commendable condition. What is not stated here is that other district hospitals, and even the large government hospitals, used to refer patients to Howard Hospital because of the excellent surgical skills available during the tenures of previous surgeons. But now, the Howard Hospital has declined in its offerings and is only on par, at best, with the very governmental hospitals the locals avoid whenever possible.

… to be continued

Jolinda Cooper