Protecting, Promoting and Enforcing Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom
Protection of Human Rights Activities [continued]
6.3.3 Visit to institution where mentally handicapped are kept:
Ingutsheni Hospital, 24-25 June 2015
The ZHRC made its first monitoring and inspection visit to a mental health institution in
2015 to Ingutsheni Mental Hospital. The ZHRC commended the government efforts in
addressing the rights of mentally challenged persons in Zimbabwe. The institution was
manned by specially skilled staff who displayed evidence of passion for their work as
observed by the ZHRC. ZHRC witnessed rehabilitation mechanisms at the institution. The
patients were involved in activities such as gardening and poultry projects. There was
also separation of patients according to their sexes and levels of illness. However, ZHRC
noted with concern the resource challenges encountered at the institution such as low
and inconsistent disbursements of funds from treasury, shortage of skilled staff such as
psychiatrists and in addition, the patients did not receive a balanced diet, receiving only
sadza and vegetables. It was further noted that although the environment was clean and
well maintained, most of the infrastructure was dilapidated and needing rehabilitation as
shown in figure 2 below. As an adoptive measure, the institution relied on its relations with
NGOs, local faith based organisations, local businesses and individual well- wishers for
support.
Figure 2 to the left shows the clean environment at the Institution and to the right a
bathroom needing refurbishment
6.3.4 Harare Hospital Investigation Visit, 17 September 2015
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Act [Chapter 10:30] in Section 9, empowers
the ZHRC to conduct investigations into allegations of human rights violations. It is in line
with this provision that ZHRC undertook an investigation into a complaint lodged by an
interested party alleging violations of human rights by Harare Central Hospital (Maternity
Unit). It was alleged that Harare Hospital was detaining neonates and mothers who would
have delivered at the hospital and failed to settle their hospital bills. From the visit, ZHRC
noted that Harare Central Hospital was violating several rights of women and children
which are enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act 2013. In its
20
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2015
Select target paragraph3
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