By Paul Nyathi | First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa got a rude awakening of the conditions at the country’s health institutions when she made a surprise visit to Mpilo Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals in Bulawayo.

The First Lady who refused to be welcomed by a government contingent at the Joshua Nkomo Airport in Bulawayo arrived at Mpilo Hospital with just two guards and proceeded to join the queue of patients awaiting attention from nurses.

The wait took her two hours before she eventually got to the nurses who asked her why she had not paid the $6 hospital fee.

When asked to produce her hospital card which she did not have, the nurses then rudely told her that the hospital did not have hospital cards to record her details and would use a piece of paper instead.

Nurses at the two hospitals were caught unawares making it easy for the First Lady to experience what the patients go through when seeking treatment at the health institutions.

Speaking to media after her ordeal at the hospitals, Mrs Mnangagwa said that it was important for health institutions to treat their patients with dignity.

“I didn’t like the attitude of some of the nurses. I want to encourage staff at our hospitals to be friendly to members of the public, especially patients. It’s their mandate to serve the patients.

“I understand that the hospitals are facing many challenges which include shortage of medicines and other consumables. This should not stop our nurses from treating their patients with care. When nurses are welcoming, it makes life easy for patients, despite their conditions and the shortages,” said Mrs Mnangagwa.

This was the second surprise visit to the country’s major health centres by the First Lady after she visited Harare Hospital in a similar manner last week.