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- Written by: Michael Sibangilizwe Nkomo
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Happy Mothering Sunday to all our Zimbabwean women in England
Message from ZAPU President Michael Sibangilizwe Nkomo
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- Written by: Dr Themba Bulle, ZAPU Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare
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ZAPU speaks on Zimbabwe’s Health Crisis {see Press Release}
The Zimbabwe health system is in a crisis. In the last year there have been alarming reports regarding Zimbabwe’s health system. Cats have been seen in wards at Chitungwiza Central Hospital. Baboons have wrecked havoc at Gwanda Provincial Hospital breaking windows and roofs. Pregnant women sleep on floors and provide their own water and food at some Maternity Mothers’ Shelters.
On Sunday 2nd March 2025, the Deputy Minister of Health and Childcare, Sleiman Kwidini, acknowledged to Parliament that nearly 300 infants and 54 women died due to complications during childbirth in January 2025. Shortages of essential medication and medical equipment have recently been experienced at Zimbabwean hospitals. Recently, at a major hospital in Zimbabwe, a woman who was involved in a road traffic accident, had her injured arm set in a cardboard box with tape as an improvised arm sling to support the arm.
At the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) another patient also experienced a lack of arm slings and had to provide their own. This patient also heard patients at the UBH screaming due to lack of pain killers. Patients at the UBH and other hospitals supply their own medicines and medical equipment.
The late Gogo Rose Nyathi, a Bulawayo celebrity, human rights activist, social media influencer and a vendor on Bulawayo’s 5th Street, had to fork out more than $1,400 for medical treatment before being treated. She needed financial and material assistance from local and diaspora-based Zimbabweans.
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- Written by: Dr Themba Bulle, ZAPU Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare
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ZAPU Bemoans Zimbabwe’s Ailing Health Sector
{See Press Flyer - Click here or any image}
The recent death of uGogo Rose Nyathi, “a Bulawayo celebrity, human rights activist, and informal comedian”, who was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery highlighted some of the anomalies in our health system. While uGogo Rose advocated for the rights of vulnerable communities, she was rendered critically vulnerable in her time of need. With her pitiful demise, the notion that our health system is free has been battered and proven untrue. UGogo Rose, a vendor at 5th Street, Bulawayo had to fork out more than $1,400 for medical treatment before her death. She needed financial and material assistance from local and Zimbabweans in the diaspora. It is not uncommon for our people in Zimbabwe to seek, not only general assistance but particularly health assistance from relatives or international donors.
On the contrary, our high-ranking government officials along with their connected elites, have access to medical aid packages and can afford private health which is quite expensive. Our rich and powerful government officials can afford to travel to foreign lands to seek medical attention. They travel to the USA, the UK, India, Singapore, Malaysia, China, South Africa and many such countries for their treatment while ordinary citizens die in the squalor of public referral hospitals such as Mpilo, UBH, Ingutsheni, Parirenyatwa, Sally Mugabe and Chitungwiza. These six major public hospitals in Zimbabwe are noted for shortages of medicines and ageing facilities as well as shortages of healthcare staff. Yet many ordinary citizens actually never make it to these central hospitals, dying instead in their homes because of abject poverty and lack of ambulances.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” It can therefore be argued that by this definition many citizens in Zimbabwe are not healthy. Under the principles of universality, we demand a public health system that is free of charge and paid for by the state at the point of delivery. Citizens deserve a high quality and effective healthcare system which is fair to all and is available when needed regardless of one’s financial or social status.
We demand a functional public health system.
