Magufuli dissolves governing board at Muhimbili hospital Dissatisfied with hospital’s hygiene, lack of equipment

 President Dr John Magufuli has dissolved the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) Health Board and for poor service provision, lack of equipment maintenance and general poor hygiene of the hospital. 

 

The development follows the President’s impromptu visit to MNH yesterday where he expressed utter dissatisfaction with the deplorable conditions he saw.

 

The president appointed Prof. Lawrence Mseru the Acting Executive Director effective today. He takes over from Dr Hussein Kidanto who has been moved to the Ministry of Health.

 

Informed  that the hospital’s basic medical equipment such as an Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CT- Scans have been broken down for two months now, the President ordered the hospital management to ensure that all essential medical equipment are fixed and functioning to expectation.

 

“It is not fair for the national hospital to miss such services while the same services are available in private hospitals,” he said.

 

President Magufuli gave a two week ultimatum within which the hospital management is to replace or mend all broken down equipment.

 

In this regard, already the Ministry of Finance has set aside 3 billion/- for the purchase and repair of equipment. Similarly, all hospitals in the country have been ordered to set aside a budget for regular maintenance of their equipment. 

 

Among other wards, President Magufuli visited Sewahaji ward and the Muhimbili Orthopedic Institute (MOI) where he again expressed his discontent and annoyance by the shortage of beds that, as he saw firsthand, left patients to sleep on the floor and others to share beds.

 

Prior to his visit to MNH, President Magufuli visited the Legal and Human Rights Centre Executive Director Helen Kijo Bisimba at Aga Khan Hospital where she was admitted after sustaining serious injuries in a car accident that occurred on Sunday in Dar es Salaam.

 

This is the second impromptu visit by the President since he was sworn in last week. The first was last week Friday when visit at the Ministry of Finance only to find but a handful of officials.

 

Meanwhile, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday directed her office management to reorganise and work hard to bring changes on issues related to Union and the environment.

 

The VP issued the order after she was handed over the office by retired Vice President Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal.

 

Citing the campaign slogan “Hapa Kazi tu”   which means “Only work here,” she said, “...everyone is supposed to work hard and those who will not, will be placed aside.” 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN