News:Harare Hospital suspends surgical operations due to drug shortage. To concentrate on maternity, CEPOD and ICU
<vote /> NewsDay reports that Harare Central Hospital (HCC), has been hit by a critical drug shortage forcing authorities to suspend all surgical operations as one the country’s major referral hospitals attempts to restock.
According to a memorandum from HOD Anaesthetics, a Dr HN Chifamba, dated September 16 2016, HCC has run dry of the critical drugs required for elective surgeries among them morphine, pethidine, antibiotics as well as the widely available bicarbonate soda. The letter was addressed to all the hospital’s consultants, and copied to the clinical director, the chief executive officer, principal nursing officer, theatre matron and board chairperson a Dr Ndowa.
Part of the letter reads
Due to the critical shortages of pethidine, injectable morphine, fentanyl, adrenaline, sizes 3.0, 3.5, 4.5, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5 ETT, metoclopramide, sodium bicarbonate and antibiotics, it was decided after consultation with the Clinical Director, Heads of Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Consultant Anaesthetics that we suspend all elective surgeries for the time being.
The head of department anaesthetics said the hospital would only concentrate with surgeries on maternity, CEPOD emergencies and ICU, while taking the opportunity (of suspending surgical operations) to train nurses on the use of morphine and tramadol injection for post-operative pain.
Read More: NewsDay
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