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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu
A Mpilo Central Hospital patient whose audio recently trended after an appeal is a well-known conwoman who goes around using her chronic illness to take advantage of healthcare workers and members of the public.
Sithulisiwe Gambiza found fame when she asked a trainee nurse aide to record her audio asking for handouts to cover her medical bills as she had been admitted in early January without any visits from her family in Gwanda and Masvingo.
In the audio that has gone viral, Ms Gambiza, an epileptic patient who is entitled to free treatment, was asking well-wishers to send money to Thato Ncube, who is said to be a nurse at Mpilo.
Gambiza said she had an accident on January 3 on her way from Kariba using a local bus operator and was appealing for any kind of help claiming there was no medication or food from the hospital.
She said her family was in Gwanda but they had never visited her and had asked a nurse to help her appeal to members of the public. In the audio, Gambiza also said interested members of the public should use Ncube’s number.
The nurse aide was fired when the issue came to light and Mpilo authorities further investigated the matter which saw Gambiza undergoing a scan at the United Bulawayo Hospitals to ascertain the extent of her alleged injuries sustained during the accident.
Medical records show that Gambiza was attended at Sally Mugabe Hospital on January 12 at the outpatient department. On January 17 she was presented at Mpilo where she was admitted after complaining of fractures in her right hand.
Mpilo principal nursing officer Matron Phineas Sithole said results from the scan prove that Gambiza was in good health and that she had not sustained any injuries in the past weeks.
“We took it upon ourselves to investigate and ensure that Gambiza gets all the help after she came out asking for help with hospital bills and food. For starters, she does not pay in public health institutions and she was scheduled for a scan which was done. The results came out and it’s clear that the patient was never sick but she was faking pain. When she came here she claimed that she could not walk as her spinal cord had challenges,” said Matron Sithole.
“Upon further investigations, we also discussed that she faked not being able to walk as she started walking perfectly after the scan. Doctors then discharged her as she was in perfect health and that is how we heard that she is a well-known manipulator. Her mother, grandmother, and cousin visited her and told us that she likes pulling such stunts in public hospitals to get money.”
He said Gambiza’s family also confirmed that she was never involved in an accident as previously claimed in the trending audio.
Mpilo clinical director Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said: “We are deeply disappointed to note that an audio that went viral not only tarnished the image of the hospital but also called into question the care given at the hospital, only to discover that all this was unnecessary. We strongly encourage those patients who have genuine medical conditions to come through as they will be attended to. We will not hesitate to take stern action on those who cross the line on important matters.”
daniel chigunwe
