ZANU PF RETURNS ZIMBABWE TO THE STONE AGE

Zimbabwe’s health system is broken. Everyone knows this. But now, after 45 years under Zanu PF, things are worse than ever. The country has gone backward. A picture is going around, showing a patient at a hospital with a broken limb covered in pieces of a cardboard box and tape. This picture is a symbol of Zimbabwe’s failed health system.

The health system is in critical condition. There is no money, no good management, no equipment, and not enough doctors and nurses. Many doctors and nurses have left the country. They have moved to other countries where they can earn better salaries and work in better conditions. Now, there are very few skilled workers in Zimbabwe, especially specialists.

Hospitals and clinics in Zimbabwe have become places where people go to die. There is no medicine. There is no equipment. Sometimes, even bandages and simple painkillers are not available. This is not how a country should be.

In 2008, Zimbabwe had a big cholera outbreak. More than 4,000 people died. This happened because of poor healthcare and bad water systems. Between 2023 and 2024, there was another cholera outbreak. This time, around 700 people died. It shows that things have not improved. The country keeps facing the same problems, over and over again.

The health system does not have enough money. The government does not give it enough funds. Most of the money for health in Zimbabwe comes from other countries. The European Union, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Sweden give money through the Health Development Fund. Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund help to run programs for mothers and children. Another major donor is the Global Fund, which supports the health system.

Donor funding provides about 25% of all the money for Zimbabwe’s health system. Most of this money is used to fight diseases like HIV/Aids, malaria, and to help mothers and children. But this is not enough to fix the whole health system. Things may get even worse. The United States once gave a lot of money to help with HIV/Aids programs through PEPFAR. But the US government has said it will cut billions of dollars in health aid. If this happens, Zimbabwe’s health system will suffer even more.

People in rural areas suffer the most. Many of them live far away from hospitals. They do not have good roads or transport to get to health services. Some areas do not even have a clinic. People are forced to rely on traditional healers or wait until their condition becomes very bad before seeking help.

Zimbabwe also faces many health problems. There are many cases of diseases like HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria. But there are also new problems. More people now suffer from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. These diseases need proper hospitals, equipment, and medicine. But Zimbabwe’s broken health system cannot handle them.

The government has failed to fix the healthcare crisis. For 45 years, they have made many promises, but things keep getting worse. The patient with a cardboard cast is a painful reminder of how bad things have become. The country is now in the Stone Age when it comes to healthcare. People are suffering, and without urgent change, the situation will only get worse.