United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and the Health Services Board are at odds over the vacant Director of Operations post. The health facility has been operating without a substantive head since December.

The Health Services Board is understood to have queried  the recruitment procedure employed by the hospital.
Former director of operations Elliot Mashingaidze retired in December.

This writer understands the health institution advertised for the post in October and conducted interviews  in January.

Three people where short-listed.

However, the HSB took issue with the fact that UBH only placed the advert with Bulawayo based publications- Chronicle and Sunday News.

The board insinuated the two publications are regional hence robbing other prospective candidates from other parts of the  country of an opportunity to apply.

On March 18, HSB executive Director, a Ms RR Kaseke wrote to UBH chief executive officer Nonhlanhla Ndlovu instructing her to re-advertise the post in ‘national papers’.

“The Health Services Board is in receipt of the interview minutes of the post of Director of Operations for United Bulawayo Hospitals and results thereof” she wrote in a memo seen by this publication.

“It is  noted that the post was only advertised in the Chronicle and Sunday News resulting in applicants being sourced only from Southern region of the country, while it would have been preferable if the advertising had attracted responses from the whole country”.

She continued “Furthermore, one of the recommended candidates completed a bachelor’s degree in 2015 and has not served at a senior management level as stipulated in the advertisement.

“Having noted the above, the Health Services Board resolved that the post be re-advertised in the  national papers, that is, The Chronicle and or The Sunday News, The Herald and or the Sunday Mail” she added.

The post has since been advertised.

The Operations Director  oversees Hospital Food Service, Central Stores, Human  Resources, Health Information and Mortuary units.

However, informed sources say the fight is on control of tenders in the departments

“This is total madness. We have never heard of a post at a Mutare hospitals re-advertised simple because it appears in the Manica Post depriving people in Lupane from applying since it (Manica Post) mainly circulates in Matare?.

“Why are Bulawayo posts conveniently nationalised?.

“The whole issue centres on control of tenders, which most people are eying”.by Nqobile Bhebhe