Sinokubonga Nkala
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
MASVINGO Provincial Hospital Laboratory is now equipped to conduct more advanced human and animal tests, thanks to recent refurbishments and enhancements supported by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The upgrade is part of a nationwide initiative that has revitalised 14 laboratories across the country.
As a result of the improvements, the laboratory is now performing an average of 80 tests per month from samples collected from different places in and around Masvingo.
Mrs Modina Mashakada the Principal Medical Scientist and Laboratory Manager at Masvingo Provincial Hospital Laboratory said the laboratory was old and needed refurbishment including state-of-the-art equipment.
“Our Laboratory has improved very much in terms of infrastructure, reagents and many other things thanks to the help of the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its development partners. Before the ministry stepped in, the hospital laboratory had challenges of resources which were inadequate.
“We could not carry out tests, we even had limited equipment, we did not have a blood culture machine, incubators, fridges but now there is a big improvement. We now have reagents, and all other equipment that is needed here,” said Mrs Mashakada.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Country grant consortium consisting of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) partnered to rehabilitate 14 human and animal health laboratories in Zimbabwe.
The rehabilitation is under the project entitled, “Addressing gaps in surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Zimbabwe” funded by the UK government’s Fleming Fund to the tune of £4 million.
The laboratory is now able to efficiently do blood cultures together with stool, urine, pus, body fluids and many more.
Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the Laboratory scientist said the hospital was doing a survey to see disease trends in the province.
“We are aware that animals are treated with antibiotics and some farmers do sell the meat of the animals before the medicines work and are now safe to consume. So that, if consumed by humans, can cause AMR. So, we are seeing this in humans who we are carrying out investigations on,” she said.
She further outlined other functions of the laboratory.
“We do culture samples for our patients including samples for cholera, and when we get something, we send these to the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory and we then get results since we are carrying out a survey. We are equipped more than any other district laboratories. They send some of their samples to us if they cannot process them at district level since we have the requisite machine, this alone is a step ahead of other hospitals,” she said.
Mrs Mashakada said farmers must be sensitised on when to slaughter their animals after having treated them so that they do not sell meat which is tainted to consumers.
Masvingo, Bulawayo, Harare and other areas have had their laboratories refurbished with the help of the Government and its partners in a bid to strengthen AMR surveillance in the country.
The Laboratory manager said they have other laboratories in Gutu, Chivi, Mwenezi, Chiredzi, Zaka, Bikita and the one in Masvingo that are carrying out tests when needed by the hospital.
According to WHO more data is needed to understand how resistance develops and how drugs are used around the world. Fundamental changes in the way antibiotics are consumed and manufactured are also needed to avert the growing threat.
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