mbulelo smpofu
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
INGUTSHENI Central Hospital in Bulawayo will be the home of a new Government-run rehabilitation centre, designed specifically to support individuals undergoing addiction therapy.
This centre will be tailored to address the distinct needs of patients, ensuring a separation between those recovering from mental illness and those experiencing drug-induced psychosis.
Currently, both patient groups are housed together due to the lack of a dedicated facility for those facing drug and substance abuse challenges in the city and its surrounding areas.
Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Douglas Mombeshora, who undertook his maiden visit to the psychiatric hospital said the separation of the two services is essential.
“There is a rise in drug and substance abuse cases here but we do not want those people with those challenges to be admitted together with those with other mental illnesses. There must be a separation, therefore, the President said they are going to build a rehabilitation centre here at Ingutsheni during our last interaction.
“I know when the President says something will be done, it will be done. So, that will also help Ingutsheni to separate patients, those who need special care and those dealing with drug and substance abuse rehabilitation,” he said.
He said there is adequate land at Ingutsheni which has been identified for the construction of a new drug rehabilitation centre.
Dr Mombeshora said the ministry is not ignoring the concerns of the psychiatric hospital but said there were limitations over the speed at which work could be done.
He, however, said there is a need to classify the drugs needed for all health institutions according to their use, such as anti-psychotics, so that they procure according to the most critical needs and supply hospitals like Ingutsheni.
“There was an acute shortage of mental health drugs but we have some companies that have started to supply us and we took delivery of some drugs recently. As we go into 2025, I hope we will be able to increase our supply to hospitals, especially Ingutsheni. I am impressed with the condition of this hospital; I am impressed by what I have seen. We have units at Parirenyatwa and Harare Hospital but they are not like this.
“There are so many challenges and we are encouraged that we do the best we can with the limited resources available. We do not have enough I know but let us come up with innovations on how to generate income. As you know for mental health, we do not charge user fees, Ingutsheni is an institution that needs increased support from the fiscus,” said Dr Mombeshora.
Ingutsheni Clinical Director, Dr Wellington Ranga said separate institutions were essential to tackle the drug problem.
“Drug rehabilitation is a programme on its own and works as a separate entity. If we put it into mental health it’s difficult as there are some concepts for drug rehabilitation then concepts for mental health. In mental health we cover patients that are recovering and going home to be productive which is what rehabilitation is all about. But drug rehabilitation is not a system which will work in an institution to correct people. Drugs require a broader approach,” he said.
The Clinical Director said rehabilitation requires that they go into the communities and try to correct what is going wrong on the ground so that the users do not go back to where they were accessing drugs.
“If we do not address that chain, and look at an institution only our chances of succeeding are very low, we do not want to backfire on us. So, we will go into the community and address issues there. Addiction is very difficult to come out of so we need all strategies, a holistic approach is what is needed,” he said.
Dr Ranga said private institutions have been assisting in absorbing those with addictions but said it is important to have a public facility that will assist the larger public as private centres cost more and cover less people.
“If we do not address the larger population then we will not be doing anything. I am glad that we will get a public institution that will help. Looking at Ingutsheni, if one gets psychotic they must be admitted without any problems, not for people to shun the hospital. We would want to match what is opened in the private sector and have people accessing services,” he said. — @NyembeziMu
