Zim Now Writer
Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital New Chief Medical Officer Dr Nemache Mawere said Bulawayo has a high number of mental health patients owing to drug abuse and gender-based violence (GBV).
About 90 percent of its patients in the acute wards are admitted for alcohol and substance abuse with over 2 000 more with the same problem being attended to in the outpatients.
“The Khumalo and St Mary’s wards are always overcrowded, particularly the Khumalo ward. As we speak, it has about 200 patients, yet it has a holding capacity of 89 patients and the facility is strained. We struggle to make things work in that area.
“The issue of substance abuse is the biggest we have in Bulawayo and beyond. Ninety percent of male patients have substance related problems.
“If you look at the female ward, there are a mixture of a lot of things, we are talking of the 16 days against GBV. If you sit with those women admitted you will find that quite a number of them are going through GBV issues which are leading to their mental health problems,” he said.
Dr Mawere also said the hospital needs to decentralise treatment to local clinics in communities.
“We have a place in Emakhandeni, it belongs to Ingutsheni, it is a halfway home and currently it is not functioning. The place can work as a clinic and we see patients and dispense medication then they return to their homes,” he added.
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