via ‘Only 6 brain surgeons left in Zimbabwe’ July 3, 2014 by Feluna Nleya
HEALTH and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa yesterday revealed that only six neurosurgeons had remained behind after the majority fled the country in search of greener pastures a few years ago.
Neurosurgery (or neurological surgery) is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.
Addressing a neurosurgeons’ conference in Harare, Parirenyatwa said ideally the country ought to have at least 60 neurosurgeons to adequately cater for the population.
The conference was attended by delegates from at least 11 countries which included Brazil, Spain, France, America, Italy, China, Japan, India, Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“I am pleased that we have six (neurological surgeons) who are fully functional, and 11 who are on training,” Parirenyatwa said.
“For Zimbabwe it has been said we need 60 for the population, I think we are rising and we will get there with this encouragement and training.
“I wish to urge you all to listen carefully and acquire more knowledge from the high profile faculty and translate all this into excellent health delivery service to our people.
“My dream is to develop real centres of excellence in our country and for that to be possible we need well-trained specialists in specific disciplines.”
Parirenyatwa also said that nurses were also being trained in neurosurgery.
“Past few years we suffered a lot of brain drain, where we trained registered general nurses and they were poached to more developed countries enmasse and we have a very big debt.”
He said the country suffered a lot of brain drain in all areas of the health sector in which there was need to improve conditions of service.
“Since our nurses were being poached we sought to train primary care nurses, but after two years they came and said these are suitable for our old people’s homes. So, you cannot quite win unless we improve conditions of service here so they can stay,” he added.
COMMENTS
In 2003 we had 5 only now we have 6. Eish! we are moving very slow. I know one Muchenagumbo, what an expect. He is always in my prayers because he helped my loved one after an accident. Long live Doctor.
muchenagumbo is late
Zanu of have no need of brain surgeons
in reality the MOH does not give a stuff if there was 6 brain surgeons left he is the same person that increased the GPs fees
This is a new ZANU-PF excuse for their lackluster performance: Mugabe needs brain surgery to run the country, but there are not enough, so the country is in the toilet! It’s all because of the sanctions, right? Haha.
To bad for those other poor individuals who really matter. It’s so sad that the President doesn’t care about his own people.
Better hurry before it’s too late! Mr. President, are you awake sir?
Well that just shows why zimbabwe has failed. no one has the money to pay for a surgeon anyway.
Supply and demand.If yo do not have a brain then…….
It doesn’t take a ‘brain surgeon’ to see and know the country is messed up.