THE Health and Child Care ministry has lashed out at the Youth Development, Empowerment and Vocational Training minister Tino Machakaire after he exposed the rot at government hospitals in a social media post on Monday this week.
Machakaire called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to visit public hospitals, which he said had deteriorated to unprecedented levels.
However, in a statement on various social media platforms, the Health and Child Care ministry said the negative remarks were part of a broader pattern of “unwarranted and mischievous attacks”.
The ministry said the comments were well-orchestrated efforts aimed at selectively highlighting challenges within the public healthcare system, while “deliberately overlooking the critical services still being provided often under resource-constrained conditions and the significant progress made in recent years”.
The Health ministry said it recognised and respected the public’s right to express concerns and encouraged constructive engagement from all citizens and leaders.
“It is vital that such discourse remains fair, balanced and based on verified facts,” the ministry said, saying it was open to meaningful dialogue and informed critique.
It, however, said it strongly rejected narratives that unfairly undermined the tireless efforts of the country’s healthcare professionals and ignore notable achievements underway across the country.
“The ministry remains committed to transparency, accountability and the continued transformation of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system,” it said.
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The ministry said it had made strides in major infrastructure upgrades at provincial and district hospitals, improved availability of medical equipment and essential supplies and expanded training programmes for healthcare workers.
It said government had also enhanced maternal and child health outcomes evident in successful hospital deliveries.
The ministry also listed the landmark open-heart surgeries conducted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and the demonstration of telemedicine capabilities in Gokwe North during the 45th Independence Day celebrations as major successes.
It said efforts by the government continue to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly at the grassroots and community levels.
It further called on public officials, civil society actors, the private sector and development partners to work together in good faith to address challenges within the health sector.
“Collaboration, not confrontation, is the path to sustainable progress,” they said.
Machakaire touched off a storm after a visit to one of the country's public health institutions, saying the growing public outcry over Zimbabwe’s healthcare system was not an exaggeration.
He called on Mnangagwa to visit the institutions.
“There is no substitute for seeing, listening and understanding firsthand what our citizens are going through. I also wish to commend those who have dared to raise their voices on matters of public interest,” Machakaire said.
His statement came after the Zimbabwe Nurses Association flagged the difficult working conditions its members were subjected to at the country’s health institutions.
