President Emmerson Mnangagwa has addressed the United Nations General Assembly which he told that Zimbabwe remained committed to ensuring the country’s health sector was up and running.
Addressing the 74th United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in New York, Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe’s National Development Agenda, the National Health Strategy 2016-2020, demonstrates the government’s commitment.
He also observed that the government was targeting to build health posts, clinics and hospitals in remote areas to shorten distances travelled by citizens in search of health care services.
Mnangagwa blamed US sanctions on Zimbabwe for the challenges the country is facing in trying to improve the health sector.
His remarks come when the country’s health system is grounded. As it stands, public hospital doctors are on strike over salaries which they say need to be increased. They also say that their working conditions are no longer safe.
They also claim that there are no medicines and requisite machinery needed for day to day operations.
Reports suggest that military personnel are standing in for the striking doctors, just to save the situation.
As a result of the state of the health sector, the haves, mainly government officials, have opted to seek medical attention outside the country.
More: ZBC News