INGUTSHENI Hospital, a 708-bed mental health facility in Bulawayo, has available capacity, but faces challenges providing necessities, particularly sanitary wear for female patients.
Clinical director Wellington Ranga said the hospital had 630 patients, leaving 78 beds unoccupied.
“We have enough rice for the whole 15 months and an adequate medication supply for now. What I am not sure about is the sanitary wear for females. In the female ward, we have 48 inmates out of 65 beds, which means we have around 17 empty beds,” he said.
Psychologist Sibangilizwe Maphosa said environmental stress, trauma and exposure to substance abuse significantly contributed to mental health disorders.
He described drug addiction as a chronic brain disease where biological, psychological and social factors interact, noting that 50-70% of addiction risk is genetic. Globally, 316 million people (6% of the population) used drugs in 2023, while in Zimbabwe, roughly one in 30
households is affected.
“Up to 50-70% of the risk for addiction can be attributed to genetic predisposition. Some people’s brains react more intensely to the high of a drug, making them more likely to seek it out again,” he said.
The developments follow a fundraising initiative led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which secured over US$2 million for hospital rehabilitation. Mnangagwa pledged US$1 million and committed to providing farm equipment and vehicle repairs for the hospital.
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Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who organised the event, described the hospital’s condition as “heartbreaking.” Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said seat sales raised US$600 000. Businessman Kuda Tagwirei pledged US$350 000, while presidential adviser Paul Tungwarara pledged US$250 000.
The century-old institution continues to struggle with aging infrastructure and overcrowding, underscoring the pressing need for enhanced mental health support across Zimbabwe.
