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A resident of Elliane Brittel in Livingstone has described the conditions in which patients are offered services at Batoka Hospital as pathetic.
Mr. Forbes Imbuwa expressed shock that the hospital does not have bed linen and patients who are admitted are asked to go back home to fetch linen.
Mr Imbuwa who stormed Zambezi FM Radio said some of the wards do not have curtain partitions for privacy and that when a person dies the wrapping of the body is done in full view of other patients and passersby sometimes during visiting hour. Grieving relatives are asked to help hospital staff to prepare the body and ferry it to the mortuary.
He said the body is supposed to be covered and taken to the holding room where it will be kept till the doctor certifies.
He said there is need to have respect for the dead and treat them in a humane manner.
Mr Imbuwa also bemoaned the lack of privacy for those patients who use bed pans in full view of other patients and minders.
Another resident also confirmed that there were asked to look for a wheel chair for her brother who was critically ill because they are in short supply. He too eventually died and they were also asked to prepare the body.
When contacted, Livingstone Central Hospital senior medical Superintendent, John Kachimba who was aware of the situation said it is an infrastructure challenge adding that it is however being addressed on a monthly basis.
Dr Kachimba said the female ward at Batoka has a prep room for the dead and they will soon move to create one for the male ward.
He said the renovations will take a bit of time adding that recently built hospitals have prep rooms
And on the hospital not having bed linen, Dr Kachimba said most of the hospital clients when discharged go with the hospital linen adding that the situation is being looked into.
