HARARE — Youth Empowerment Minister Tinoda Machakaire has made an unusually candid appeal to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to visit public hospitals and witness Zimbabwe’s healthcare crisis for himself, breaking ranks with the government’s typical denial of healthcare failures.
Machakaire revealed his distress after visiting a relative at an unnamed public health facility, describing what he saw as “deeply moving” and a “clear indication that many of our people are facing serious challenges.”
Taking to social media platform X, the minister warned that “in our desire to present progress, we may unintentionally overlook important realities on the ground” – a rare acknowledgment of the disconnect between government rhetoric and citizens’ experiences.
Addressing Mnangagwa directly, Machakaire said: “Your Excellency, you have earned the admiration of this nation for your compassion, humility and tireless dedication to the welfare of ordinary citizens… I respectfully plead with you: please find time from your busy schedule to visit these institutions yourself.”
The unusually frank admission from a sitting cabinet minister has stirred debate, drawing both praise and criticism from opposition figures and civil society.
Former MP Fadzayi Mahere blasted the government’s sudden recognition of the health crisis, saying: “Anyone who pretends not to have known about the crisis in the public health sector all along arikunyepedzera kuzungaira. Ministers and senior government officials know but they don’t care.”
Machakaire also commended health activists who have been vocal about deteriorating conditions, acknowledging that their outcry “reflects the difficult experiences of many citizens” rather than exaggeration.
The dire state of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system was further highlighted last week when the daughter of retired general Victor Chikudo Rungani revealed her father died after failing to find a ventilator at public hospitals, including the main military hospital.
A ventilator was eventually located at the ZAOGA church-owned Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Waterfalls, but doctors said it came too late to save him.
The healthcare crisis stems from years of economic instability, with Zimbabwe consistently failing to meet the Abuja Declaration’s mandate to allocate at least 15% of the national budget to health.
Patients regularly face empty hospital pharmacies and are given lists of medical supplies to purchase themselves – including basic pain medication – before they can receive treatment.
While Mnangagwa, his deputies, and ministers typically avoid public hospitals and receive overseas treatment at taxpayers’ expense, ordinary Zimbabweans have no choice but to rely on the failing system.
The minister’s public stance represents a stark departure from the government’s typical messaging and could signal growing internal pressure to address the healthcare crisis that affects millions of Zimbabweans daily.
