Correspondent|MUTARE Provincial Hospital only has one x-ray machine and a shortage of manpower to run the department.

This was exposed as the hospital was overwhelmed by the number of patients taken to the referral institution after Saturday’s bus accident which occurred at the 218-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare highway.

In her presentation to stakeholders that included Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, provincial Joint Operations Committee, Civil Protection Unit members and the media, Mutare Provincial Hospital representative Sister Fortunate Sigauke said the hospital was overwhelmed, noting challenges faced in the X-ray department.

“I received a phone call informing me that there had been a bus disaster,” she said.

“There was a quick response from our medical staff, nurses and doctors. The delay was in the X-ray department because of shortage of manpower. We had challenges in the X-ray department where the machine was not sufficiently equipped to cater for the patients we had at that particular moment.

“The first casualties came in with well-wishers. The ambulance service providers then chipped in. We are really thankful to those who chipped in.”

Dr Gwaradzimba bemoaned the existence of one X-ray machine at the hospital.

“I am concerned about the state of preparedness,” she said. “I am told that the response was not as quick as the injured persons expected, our ambulances, and in terms of all the help that was rendered.

“I think we cannot rely on just one X-ray machine for such a big provincial referral hospital. Right now we have people with multiple fractures.