Parliament was on Thursday consumed by a heated debate over the state of the country’s health sector, with opposition lawmakers pressing government to declare a national emergency while ruling party MPs pushed back.
Introducing the motion, Chiredzi Central legislator Ropafadzo Makumire painted a grim picture of collapsing hospitals, shortages of basic medicines and staff and a mass exodus of health workers.
He said over 4,000 professionals, including 2,600 nurses had left the country in recent years.
“Women are dying during childbirth due to lack of electricity, clean water, medicines and staff. This is a constitutional crisis. We can no longer pretend that all is well,” he said
Makumire accused Treasury of withholding funds budgeted for health leaving hospitals to rely on donors.
He urged the release of all outstanding allocations and called for an emergency programme to provide essential supplies.
Several MPs supported the motion citing stark realities in rural areas.
Dzivaresekwa constituency Member of Parliament Edwin Mushoriwa described rural clinics where expectant mothers gave birth under candlelight while Goromonzi West Beatrice Nyamupinga said patients were often asked to bring their own gloves and bandages because hospitals had none
The debate also highlighted shocking examples.
One MP recounted the case of a Kariba woman mauled by a hyena who could not undergo surgery in Harare because Sally Mugabe Hospital lacked basic surgical supplies.
She was forced to return home without treatment.
However, ruling party MPs rejected the proposal to declare a state of emergency.
Zanu PF Chief Whip, Pupurai Togarepi insisted that while challenges existed, “healthcare is fundamental and our government since independence has put structures to ensure that people receive care.”
He blamed sanctions and economic constraints for undermining funding.
Other ZANU-PF legislators pointed to ongoing hospital renovations, new clinics under Constituency Development Funds and the President’s recent visits to hospitals as signs of progress.
They argued the crisis was not severe enough to warrant an emergency declaration urging instead for unity in lobbying for 15% of the budget to be allocated to health in line with the Abuja Declaration.
The debate was eventually adjourned and is set to resume next week.
