UTH's handling of oxygen problem disappoints Manda
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 11 Feb. 2013, 13:50 CAT
UTH urologist Dr Francis Manda has expressed disappointment over the manner in which management at the hospital is handling the problem of oxygen at the country's biggest referral hospital.
In an interview, Dr Manda said he was appalled by the insistence by the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) management that the supply of oxygen to the hospital's theatres was under control, yet big and serious operations had remained suspended because of the limited supply of the gas.
"What I don't like, and that is my policy in life, is for people not to tell the truth. The oxygen issue at UTH, when it started, Pauline Mbangweta (UTH spokesperson) came out and said everything was normal, when she knew very well that things were not," he said.
"Phase three theatre had no gas cylinders until this came to light when the media picked it up. We were not operating before that time almost three weeks. They (management) panicked, they brought in small cylinders which could not even last one hour," Dr Manda explained. "Make a tour of UTH theatres…there are different types of operations which we do.
There are emergency operations which are catered for by the oxygen from the central supply, which comes from the plant. Then we have cylinders which we use when the central supply shuts off like now. That is what she (Mbangweta) should have said. This is oxygen directly from the plant going into theatres, going to Intensive Care Unit (ICU)."
Dr Manda said management did not put in place proper measures to cover for the time of the works at the central oxygen plant.
"Now like phase three theatre, the biggest theatre in UTH, where we do big operations, cancer operations, abdominal surgery, thoracic surgery in the chest cavity when you open up (the chest) and things like that… but these operations you sit down and plan them properly. When the day of operation comes, you cannot operate when there is not enough oxygen because they take long," he said.
"For me for example, if I am to remove the bladder because it has cancer, it takes me four to six hours just operating on one case. Now if they fit those theatres with small cylinders which can hardly last one hour, just imagine what can happen to that patient! Not until now, they had fitted in small cylinders to the machines which are in phase three theatres which you can use to operate small operations which last 30, 20 minutes. What about the big ones?"
Dr Manda said he and other surgeons were not able to do operations that were due because of the oxygen shortage.
"We had to send them home and up to now they are home. We told them we would call them back when things have normalised," he said.
Dr Manda said big cylinders had not been taken to big theatres because of pressure.
"They started fitting them on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I couldn't do my big cases because there was no oxygen, let anyone challenge me...
They have just finished fitting those cylinders this week, now we will see this week, whether I personally will operate or not because we have to test those cylinders because those machines, which we have in theatre, the life-supporting machines, have no proper knobs to fit to those cylinders and these are new machines which came from Japan. They don't have their accessories to fit to our local cylinders. So even the anaesthetics have found a way of improvising," he explained.
Dr Manda said politics of yesteryear should not play a role in a life of a human being.
"We are dealing with life here. Now if we are doing politics with life, that is where I am saying I am not going to play politics with life and by politics here I mean to please the authorities. Authorities cannot go to the public and tell them that what you are hearing are just rumours and forget.
I have a quarrel with such type of attitude of telling the authorities that everything is okay. The very authorities do not come to see what is on the ground. They take what comes from management because they trust that is the truth and yet it is not. I challenge you to take a tour with Mbangweta," said Dr Manda.
Labels: FRANCIS MANDA, UTH
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MP’s ditching their parties are like Hyenas looking for fecal excreta-Dr. Manda
Time Posted: January 6, 2013 6:58 am
Renowned medical practitioner Francis Manda says MP’s resigning from their political parties are behaving like Hyenas searching for faeces. The outspoken Urologist said it is unacceptable that selfish politicians could be allowed to waste public resources on unnecessary bye elections.
“They are behaving exactly like Hyenas, these are animals that go about looking for faeces. The MP’s ditching their parties are like Hyenas looking for fecal excreta,” Dr. Manda said.
Dr. Manda was speaking Saturday morning during his popular radio show “Manzi Therapy” on ZNBC Radio 4.
He said Zambia is a country with meager resources for development programmes adding that spending huge amounts of money on bye elections which could be avoided is unacceptable.
“They are behaving exactly like Hyenas, these are animals that go about looking for faeces. The MP’s ditching their parties are Hyenas looking for fecal excreta,” Dr. Manda said.
Dr. Manda supported proposals that the new constitution should include provisions that will enable the party nominate a candidate to see out the remainder of the term in an event that the MP crosses the floor.
“We cannot continue with defections at this rate. We need these constitutional changes in order to protect public funds,” Dr. Manda said.
He also appealed to political parties to exhibit maturity and settle down in 2013.
“We saw a lot of bickering in all parties including the ruling one in 2012. We don’t need such in 2013. These political parties need to learn to resolve issues amicably.”
Dr. Manda said infighting in political parties contributed to the lack of development in 2012.
“We didn’t see any meaningful development in the past year because politicians were busy bickering. Let us start politics in 2016 and not now when Zambians want development.”
Labels: FRANCIS MANDA, PF, UPND
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"Sexual appetite shouldn't override need for circumcision"
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 22 Nov. 2012, 13:10 CAT
DR Francis Manda says Gwembe UPND member of parliament Brian Ntundu's sexual appetite should not override the advatages of male circumcision.
Commenting on Ntundu's fears about circumcision and the fears that 'sweetness' of sex is lost when one gets circumcised, Dr Manda, a urologist, advised the member of parliament not to only look at his sexual appetite but also other issues which in the end could affect him.
"People who are not circumcised, they are at the risk of getting cancer of the penis and two, most of the men because of their inner foreskin which harbours the virus called human papilloma virus, they are carriers of this virus and they pass it on to women and they end up with cervical cancer. His sexual appetite should not override the advantages of circumcision," he said.
Dr Manda said Ntundu's fears were based on ego and that he was not looking at what could befall him in terms of cancer.
"He is just being selfish by looking at his sexual appetite and not looking at other issues which in the end can even affect him. He could have cancer of the penis," Dr Manda said.
Dr Manda said it was only the sensation to the manhood that was lost when one got circumcised.
"Those people who have premature ejaculations, we use circumcision as one of the forms of treating them. If he says no I am going to lose this, that's being selfish, he is looking just at sex, he is not looking at other issues in the broader spectrum," he said.
Dr Manda however, said circumcision was voluntary and that Ntundu was free to remain the way he was if he so wished.
"If his main concern is his sexual behaviour, let him remain like that, but let him not discourage others because we have seen and it is proven beyond any doubt that circumcision is one of the tools which we use in mitigating not only HIV and AIDS but other sexually transmitted diseases," said Dr Manda.
During the voluntary medical male circumcision workshop for members of parliament on Monday, Ntundu, 50, laid bare his sex life and revealed that he struggled to do one round of sex on account of his age.
"When I was young…I had my first child at the age of 17 and during that time, I used to do more rounds but now I am 50 years old and I struggle to do one round of sex. Now if I am struggling at 50, what will happen if I circumcise…I am sure you know what I am trying to say," said Ntundu, sending the audience into laughter.
Labels: BRIAN NTUNDU, CIRCUMCISION, FRANCIS MANDA, FRAUD, HIV/AIDS
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Make Mulungushi Rock a heroes’ burial site - Manda
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thu 07 July 2011, 04:00 CAT
DR FRANCIS Manda says Zambia should not have a burial site for fallen presidents alone but all national heroes. Dr Manda, a urologist, said Embassy Park, where former presidents Levy Mwanawasa and Frederick Chiluba are buried should not be the final resting place for the country’s leaders.
Dr Manda proposed that former presidents, with other fallen national heroes, needed to be buried at Mulungushi River Rock of Authority where nationalists who broke away from the Zambian African National Congress convened a conference under the banner of a new party, UNIP, in 1960 in the then Northern Rhodesia.
He said the nationalists held a conference to look at the future direction and how to achieve independence, in a place where they could not be under the eye of the colonial authorities.
During the ZNBC Radio 4 Manzi Therapy programme, Dr Manda said the ex-presidents were not the only heroes for the country.
“We are saying we have a resting place for other heroes as well, especially those who participated in the independence of this country should be recognised,” Dr Manda said.
“I would suggest we go back to the roots of our struggle, the Mulungushi Rock of Authority. The US has Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County.”
He said there was need to come up with a heroes square where fallen heroes like Mama Julia Chikamoneka born Julia Mulenga Nsofwa and others could be reburied as was the case in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United States.
“I know in Africa, it’s not easy to exhume and rebury someone but South Africa and Zimbabwe have been exhuming their heroes everywhere they are to go and bury them,” said Dr Manda. “What we need to know is that even if you are gone, you are still a hero.”
Dr Manda made the remarks following his reflections on the passing away of Chiluba and Mwanawasa.
Labels: FRANCIS MANDA
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Dr Manda challenges Rupiah, Sata and HH to show leadership by reconciling
Written by Kelvin Tembo
Saturday, December 20, 2008 10:02:44 PM
Medical practitioner Dr Francis Manda yesterday challenged political leaders to show leadership by reconciling during this festive season. And Dr Manda said local companies should channel donations to assist cholera victims in Zimbabwe.
Speaking during the Radio Phoenix Manzi Therapy programme, Dr Manda said Zambia was going through a tough time and there was no time for politicians to be fighting each other.
“My brother Rupiah Banda, Hakainde Hichilema and Michael Sata should show leadership to the people by sitting down to dialogue,” he said.
Dr Manda said the three political leaders could invite each other for dinner secretly and discuss national matters rather than fighting in the press. He said if they did that, Zambians would emulate their actions.
Dr Manda said politicians should not cultivate a culture of hatred towards each other.
“It's easy for President Banda to ask his wife Thandiwe to cook something and call Sata for dinner. Even Dr Christine Kaseba (Sata's wife), though she is a medical doctor, she knows her way in the kitchen, let them invite each other for dinner,” he said.
And Dr Manda said he was ready to lead a team of medical personnel to help with the cholera situation in Zimbabwe. He said Manzi Limited had donated water and chlorine to Zimbabwe and all that was needed was transport.
Dr Manda appealed to companies especially those that manufacture IV fluids to donate something for the people of Zimbabwe. He said Christmas was a time for giving and people should help Zimbabweans to overcome the problems they were facing.
Labels: FRANCIS MANDA, GOVERNANCE
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