Challenges faced by Hospital in providing surgical care and handling surgical needs in Zambia

Abstract

Challenges faced by hospitals in providing surgical care are many and important to public health. These challenges have long been neglected hence posing a lot of threat to the very existence and development of surgical work in Zambia. These challenges arise from shortage of human resources, infrastructure, shortage of supplies and equipment. The aim of this study was to establish challenges faced by hospitals in providing surgical care and handling surgical needs. The objectives were to determine challenges faced by hospitals in providing surgical care. Specifically to determine the qualification and needs of the theatre personnel, to determine the hospital needs in relation to challenges that come about with surgical care. Also to determine the capacity that the hospital has in carrying out surgical procedures and to comparing surgical procedures that General, Mission and District hospitals offer and to determine the adequacy and completeness of surgical equipment and instrument found in the hospitals.This was a cross-section non-intervention descriptive study. The study was carried out in 52 hospitals in 9 Provinces of Zambia. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 17.0 for windows. The challenges were found to be mostly in staffing of qualified personnel, shortage and incomplete surgical equipment, poor infrastructure, erratic supply of both water and electricity, lack of oxygen, blood and histopathological services. Therefore, there is need for the government to step up meaningful interventions.