Masvingo Bureau — A crippling food shortage has hit Chivi District Hospital in Masvingo where nearly 200 patients at the institution are reportedly getting one meal per day. Some patients are severely affected by malnutrition.

The hospital is the referral centre for more than 90 000 people in the district.

Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Robert Mudyiradima yesterday could not confirm or deny the food woes at the hospital.

He, however, admitted that most State-run hospitals in the province were facing food shortages

He attributed the problem to lack of funding.

"These hospitals have not yet received any funding from Treasury so far this year so they are surviving on limited funds that are raised through hospitals fees so food shortages for patients may be a reality."

He said Government policy was that patients admitted in hospitals should be fed.