Baboon causes stir at hospital

Bulawayo Bureau February 12, 2009

A HUGE "mysterious" baboon has descended on Beitbridge District Hospital where it is reportedly terrorising patients and hospital staff.

According to witnesses, the baboon is now a common sight at the hospital premises, during the day and at night.

"During the day, the baboon will be scavenging for food in the dustbins while at night it is normally seen lurking in the corridors and near hospital wards.

‘‘It is so huge and frightening that both patients and hospital staff are now living in fear of being attacked," said Mrs Anna Mudau.

"This is quite mysterious and everyone is beginning to wonder whether it is a real baboon or something else?"

The animal, which is now the talk of the town, was first spotted last week loitering around the hospital yard.

When our Bulawayo Bureau visited the hospital yesterday, the baboon could be seen loitering within the premises foraging for food in the dustbins.

A hospital, employee who declined to be named, said: "This baboon is quite strange indeed because each time we initiate a discussion about it, it emerges out of the blue."

Officials at the hospital said some locals tried to scare it away, and it temporarily disappeared only to return a few hours later.

"We tried to chase it away, but it still continues to come back and we are now thinking of contacting officials from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority so that they can possibly get rid of it once and for all," said an official.

Residents of the border town have since come up with different theories with some claiming that the animal was a goblin, which merely resembled a baboon, while others believe it is a genuine stray baboon.

"This has never happened before. Where have you seen a baboon mingling with people? But the strangest thing is that this animal is also seen moving around at night, yet in actual fact baboons are not nocturnal animals This is why we believe it could be some kind of goblin," said Mr Ndivhuwo Muleya, of Dulibadzimu.

However, another resident, Ms Margaret Moyo, thinks otherwise.

"We are just being superstitious for nothing here because I personally have come across such stray baboons before and therefore this is just an ordinary baboon just like others out there in the forest," she said.

I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it puts on a Doctor's coat and starts treating OB/Gyn patients.