The interactions of public health organisational leadership with its environment: A case study of Chitungwiza Central Hospital in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Introduction: This paper is a case study of Chitungwiza Central Hospital (CCH); that interrogates the interactions of public health organisational leadership with its environment, within the context of Zimbabwe’s unique social, economic and political circumstances.
Objective: To investigate how the local context and local environment of Zimbabwe’s unique social, economic and political situation have interacted with the leadership of CCH as a Zimbabwean public health institution.
Methods (Design, Setting, Participants and Interventions): The research design was that of a case study of a central government hospital. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used to conduct the research. An interview guide was used to give direction to interviews, but questions and interviewing style were open-ended and exploratory. Purposive sampling and expert sampling were used to select respondents for interviews. Content analysis of relevant administrative and management documents kept at CCH was carried out. This research is located within the theoretical framework of
Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR); and examines the institutional or meso-level of the healthcare system.
Results and Discussion: Key findings include that there have been inadequacies in terms of both staffing levels and facilities at the hospital; and that there has been an increase in para-suicide, substance abuse and sexual abuse cases in CCH’s community.
Conclusions and Recommendations: Key recommendations include that there should be expansion of both the facilities and staff establishment at CCH; and that there should be resuscitation of Chitungwiza’s industries as a strategy to address youth unemployment and other related social problems.