Thousands of lives have been put at risk since the only two functioning dialysis machines in Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo, broke down three weeks ago.

The dialysis machines were at Mpilo Central hospital, Bulawayo's main referral hospital for more than a million people, including those living in far-flung rural areas in the three southern provinces of Matabeleland North, South and Masvingo.

In the capital, Harare, 10 of the 18 dialysis machines at Parirenyatwa Hospital, the country's largest referral centre, broke down a month ago. Desperate patients now queue for treatment around the clock.

Machines often break down in Zimbabwe, where economic recession and hyperinflation has severely crippled public health services. Zimbabwe is saddled with foreign exchange shortages and the world's highest inflation rate, running at about 6,500 percent.

Jonathan Nyathi, a Bulawayo resident, has been unemployed for the past eight months because of his deteriorating health and will now have to seek treatment in a private hospital, which could cost him up to US$20 for every four-hour treatment. Nyathi's wife, Sibonokuhle, earns only US$10 a month as a teacher. Two of Nyathi's brothers, who work overseas, help him pay for his medical costs.

"My husband needs at least one session a week, and his condition has been deteriorating since he did not get treatment in the last two weeks, as we had no money," said Sibonokuhle, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel. His face, ankles and legs are swollen.

A dialysis machine is used to filter the patient's blood when the kidneys lose their ability to fully perform their main function of filtering excess fluid and waste products from the blood; lowered kidney function can also hamper the body's ability to fight harmful bacteria and viruses.
 
Government assurances

Zimbabwe's Health Minister, David Parirenyatwa, assured IRIN that the dialysis machines would be repaired soon. "We are working hard as a ministry to ensure that the two machines at Mpilo hospital [in Bulawayo] are repaired - everything is being done to ensure that they are ready for the patients."

Lindiwe Mlilo, chief executive officer of Mpilo hospital, told IRIN that the two machines at the hospital have yet to be repaired because they did not have the equipment to identify the problem.

But while renal patients continue to suffer, 54 dialysis machines donated by the Swedish government about three years ago are gathering dust in storage rooms after the government failed to reach an agreement with the donors over servicing the machines.

However, Parirenyatwa said an agreement had been reached and the machines would be installed soon. "The 54 dialysis machines donated by the Swedes will installed, and we expect them to be operational as soon as the Ministry of Finance has given us the guarantee that they will avail funds for their repair in case of breakdowns."

In the meantime, many patients have resorted to consulting traditional healers. "Last month we had no money and I took my husband to a traditional healer, who prescribed some herbs that helped reduce his high blood pressure," said Sibonokuhle.

"But the traditional healer's medicine is not reliable for his kidney condition, but since the hospitals have no machinery and drugs, we have no options left."