Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono provided an update on 50 dialysis machines that a Zimbabwean woman working in the UK offered to donate to Zimbabwean health institutions.
Chin’ono said he approached Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume and City Health Director for assistance, but the local government authority declined the machines for now, citing that City Health reports to the Ministry of Health. He said some influential individuals expressed concerns that Chin’ono would gain popularity if he succeeded in bringing the machines.
Chin’ono also attempted to approach Parirenyatwa, a government institution, but was unsuccessful.
His personal doctor offered a rent-free building in the city to house the machines. In a Twitter post in response to an enquiry from Pindula, Chin’ono said:
Thank you @WeArePindula
I approached Harare City Council’s Mayor and also its City Health Director, the message was that not at the moment.
City Health reports to the Ministry of Health.
Powerful people said that Hopewell will become more popular than he is if those machines come through him.
I also approached Parirenyatwa, but as you know, it is a Government institution.
My personal doctor, Dr Nyasha Maboreke @nmaboreke has offered one of his buildings in the City rent free to house the machines when they come so that Renal patients can be helped.
Harare has less than 12 dialysis machines in all its public health centers including Parirenyatwa and Harare Hospitals. Chitungwiza Hospital has ZERO.
People are dying yet we have 50 machines available, that is why you should all register to vote if you want these things to change.
Zimbabweans needing dialysis in Harare sleep outside Parirenyatwa hoping to get a spot.
Some people come from as far as Gweru, we have the solutions to sort out the crisis caused by the looting of public funds, but we are being blocked!
I have offered Bulawayo too. The mayor said he would come back to me, I am still waiting.
Zimbabwe’s health sector faces many challenges, including a shortage of medical staff, insufficient funding, and poor infrastructure.
The country has a high incidence of infectious and non-communicable diseases, and access to healthcare services is limited, particularly in rural areas.
The cost of healthcare is also a significant barrier for many Zimbabweans, with most relying on under-resourced public health services.
The sector’s issues are attributed to corruption by political elites who abuse state resources. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed weaknesses in the health sector, with shortages of medical supplies and personal protective equipment.
Chin’ono, a CNN Africa Journalist of the Year award winner, and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume of Transform Zimbabwe were arrested in 2020 for inciting public violence after encouraging the citizenry to participate in foiled anti-government protests over rampant corruption allegedly by government officials.
Chin’ono and Ngarivhume urged protests following reports that then Health Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo engaged in significant corruption in procuring medical supplies for the ministry. It was revealed that the minister bypassed the procurement register and selected companies to provide medical supplies.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa eventually dismissed Moyo citing “inappropriate conduct” in connection with the $60m (£47.5m) medicines supply scandal.