HARARE – A heated debate erupted in the Zimbabwean Senate on Tuesday as Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa squarely laid the blame for the nation’s deteriorating healthcare system at the feet of opposition-led urban local authorities, sparking a political blame game over who is responsible for the country’s ailing hospitals and medical services.
During a Senate debate on the recapitalisation of public healthcare institutions, Mutsvangwa had sensationally attributed a significant portion of the country’s healthcare crisis to their alleged failures.
Mutsvangwa argued that the deterioration of Zimbabwe’s health sector could not be divorced from the prevailing economic circumstances, including the impact of sanctions.
He stated that local governments, particularly those in urban areas, bear a shared responsibility with the Central Government for healthcare provision. In his submissions, Mutsvangwa admitted that the state of health in Zimbabwe has deteriorated.
“What I want to add is that if we can all pool our energies together, we can restore the health system of Zimbabwe,” Mutsvangwa stated.
“The finger-pointing which is being done here in this House shows woeful ignorance about how the system of Government works in this country.
“There are hospitals which are the responsibility of the Central Government but the biggest employer normally, is in urban areas in a concentrated manner. It is a fact that for the past two decades, urban areas have been run by the opposition in Zimbabwe.
“They have as much responsibility to provide medical services to the Central Government as anybody else.
“If you finger point only at the Minister of Health, where are your mayors and councillors? These are the people that provide local healthcare at that level.
“These people who are lamenting the state of our affairs today, if they have any integrity, would own up to say they have been responsible for the local governance of this country for two decades in urban areas and they have not shown by example why they should deserve to attack the Central Government about the sorry state of our health affairs. Local governments run hospitals all over the world.”
He specifically highlighted hospitals like Wilkins, which are managed by Zimbabwean municipalities, suggesting they should have been supported by a “vibrant urban population which is productive.”
Mutsvangwa implied that the failure of these local authorities to attract investment into urban areas has directly impacted their ability to generate resources for essential services, including health.
Contributing to the debate, senator Maxwell Mdhluri acknowledged the stark reality in hospitals saying: “Things are not well. Things are not rosy in our hospitals.”
He highlighted a recent incident where a Youth Empowerment Minister, Tinoda Machakaire, upon visiting Parirenyatwa Hospital, was shocked by the non-functioning equipment and even requested the President to personally witness the dire conditions.
Mdhluri stated the non-partisan nature of the healthcare crisis, urging all members of the Senate to collaborate on solutions. He recalled how his grandmother, severely injured by a landmine in the late 1970s, received effective treatment at St. Peters and Mpilo Hospital.
He lamented her recent death from cholera, a condition that could have been treated with a simple drip, but which she reportedly failed to receive at a major hospital.
Mdhluri further questioned why Zimbabwe, with its strong ties to China, was not leveraging that relationship to secure more medical supplies and expertise.
He also cited recent tragic events, including the death of a karate player after a road accident and public sentiment suggesting certain hospitals are “places where one goes to die,” as evidence of the system’s failure.
“The issue of the hospitals does not matter what political affiliation or background you have. We need to just use the naked eye or see our vision in the future. What will be our future if things remain in this state?
“Therefore, for us to resolve the issues of hospitals, we need all Hon. Members of this august House to put our heads together,” Senator Mdhluri stated.
“This is a senior chamber, so when we have spoken, everyone should listen. We must have constructive criticism. Constructive criticism will help us build our country. We are all here in this country because we love it.
“Some people have left the country but we have remained in this country because we love it.
“Let me take you back, Madam President. In 1977 or 1978 my maternal grandmother hit a landmine with an ox-drawn scotch cart. She had limbs that were severed. There is a referral hospital called St.Peters where she was taken to in that condition.
“She was assisted, she was treated. Despite the injuries that she had received, she was further referred to Mpilo Hospital where she was treated and she got well. Despite the fact that she had lost her legs and had injuries she was treated and she responded to the treatment.
“I am saying so because at that time, our hospitals had adequate equipment and drugs and would attend to anyone who fell ill.
“I feel hurt or pained because my grandmother died a few years ago because of cholera. Cholera requires just a drip as medication.
“Once the drip has been administered, one will live but she died because she failed to get the drip at such a big hospital, that is the current state in our hospitals.”
Senator Sesel Zvidzai mentioned the Senate’s consistent focus on health issues, citing numerous previous motions on various diseases.
He advocated for visits to provincial hospitals across the country to “create a map in our minds of the state of dilapidation of our health institutions.”
Zvidzai particularly stressed the critical need for NATPHARM to deliver essential medicines to remote rural areas, where health centers are often entirely lacking.
A pathetic discussion by the so-called senators, in particular the clueless Christopher Mutsvangwa