Veteran Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, has placed the blame on the ZANU-PF led government for the dire state of the nation’s healthcare. In an interview with News Central, Chin’ono expressed dismay over the recent death of a doctor who couldn’t get medical attention due to what he termed the inefficiency of the government. He knocked Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube‘s allocation of Zimbabwean $473.8 billion (11% of the nation’s $4.5 trillion budget) to healthcare.
He argued that this allocation falls short of addressing the critical needs, with Zimbabwean hospitals in disrepair. Chin’ono emphasised that only $50 million is required to efficiently run all five central hospitals for an entire year, a sum the government has failed to provide.
He also highlighted the absence of functional cancer radiotherapy and heart bypass machines, both in the public and private sectors. Chin’ono asserted that government inefficiency, rather than sanctions as claimed by ZANU-PF, is to blame, citing massive embezzlement of public funds and mismanagement of natural resources.
The dire situation is highlighted by a lack of intensive care units in provincial hospitals, leaving many patients without proper care. Chin’ono criticised the insufficient investment in healthcare infrastructure, noting that no new hospital theatres have been built since 1978.
He said the government only uses sanctions as an alibi for inefficiency, adding that “A lot of Doctors have been complaining over the years about the situation of our hospitals. This is not caused by sanctions as the ruling party Zanu PF says, but by the massive looting of public funds and the plan of the country’s natural resources.”
In his words, “The doctor that died didn’t even have money for fuel to drive his own car. This tells you how bad the situation is in terms of doctors’ remuneration. He died at (Muntare) General Hospital at 11 pm on Friday with serious head injuries in need of a neurosurgeon and special care at this hospital, but no intensive care unit at the hospital is working.
Across the country, none of the provincial hospitals have intensive care units that are working. The biggest two hospitals in Zimbabwe have a combined total of six beds available for intensive care.”
Checks by News Central however indicate that in 2012, StanbicBank expended $2 million in refurbishing a theatre at Sally Mugabe Hospital, along with an additional $37,000 worth of theatre equipment supplied to supplement existing equipment. This put the cost of refurbishing a theatre, not building a new one, at over $2.037 million. The Zimbabwean government also reported it completed the Lupane hospital, which includes brand new theatres.
He also raised concerns about Zimbabwean women seeking maternity care in South African hospitals due to the inadequate facilities in their home country.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) recently called for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the sanctions were distressing ordinary people in the southern African country.
Ramaphosa said the sanctions in Zimbabwe were impacting neighbouring countries as Zimbabweans thronged into other countries in search of opportunities.