Multi-award-winning journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono has expressed his dismay at the deteriorating state of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system. He highlighted the irony of the situation, given the country’s abundant mineral resources.
Chin’ono, who received the CNN African Journalist of the Year award in 2008, shared his concerns on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said:
The state of healthcare in Zimbabwe is now so bad such that the biggest public medical center, Parirenyatwa didn’t have oxygen today (06 October 2023).
Patients needing surgery/theatre care were sent to Sally Mugabe Hospital (Harare Hospital), which is Zimbabwe’s biggest hospital. But Sally Mugabe Hospital didn’t have Sevoflurane, a drug used for Anasthesia for theatre.
So at Parirenyatwa there was no operations, Sally Mugabe had 5 patients for theatre, but the surgeons only managed to do only one case with the remaining Sevoflurane. How can a country with over 60 minerals including diamonds, gold, platinum, chrome and more sink so low?
Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector, along with other sectors, has faced severe challenges leading to its collapse since the late 1990s. Corruption, poor policies, neglect, the global economic crisis, and other factors have contributed to this dire situation. As a result, many people have lost their lives due to limited access to medical care, forcing some to seek treatment in neighbouring countries like Botswana and South Africa. Those who can afford it travel as far as India, China, and the UK for medical treatment.
The healthcare system in Zimbabwe, once admired by many African nations, has lost its former glory. Critics claim that ZANU PF leaders neglect the healthcare sector because they can afford treatment abroad. They accuse the political elites of corruption, depleting healthcare resources. These officials, having access to superior healthcare options overseas, allegedly disregard the needs of the local population, worsening healthcare challenges. Despite government efforts to revive the sector, the deep-rooted problems persist, hindering effective solutions.
Source: The Zimbabwean
