Let's celebrate Mnangagwa's positives: Mohadi

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has chided Zimbabweans for believing "negative" narratives being peddled by the country's "detractors" instead of celebrating several "positive" developments brought about by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's second republic.

Speaking at the commissioning a high-care isolation and treatment centre at the Gweru Provincial Hospital yesterday, Mohadi claimed that when Mnangagwa came to power, the country's health delivery system was "nearly dead", but has resuscitated.

"We have failed to celebrate the positive outcomes of our current efforts such as our current effort to improve the health delivery services. The truth that Zimbabweans seem to shy away is that the second republic has been instrumental in resuscitating the nearly dead health delivery system," he said.

"Surely, a lot of innovations and initiatives such as the one we are witnessing here are being undertaken throughout the country. I challenge you to visit Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare to see the developments that the second republic has achieved."The high-care and isolation centre at Gweru Provincial Hospital was equipped by Unki Mines.

Mohadi's remarks were, however, in sharp contrast with the dire situation at public hospitals where nurses have been on a salary strike for over 60 days, with doctors joining them recently while basics like medicines are in short supply.

"It is disheartening to note that as Zimbabweans we have failed to generate progressive attention around our own successes. While we appear somewhat under siege from our detractors, this (isolation and treatment centre equipped by Unki Mines) is encouraging and shows that we can move forward and move forward in the right direction."

Contacted for comment, Itai Rusike, the Community Working Group on Health director described Mohadi as out of touch with reality on the ground.

"It is now two years since the inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the leader of the second republic. Sadly, Zimbabweans are yet to realise the right to health as promised in the Zanu-PF election manifesto. It is undeniable that the deplorable state of the country's health system requires urgent attention," he said.

"Presently, infrastructure in hospitals is dilapidated, some is obsolete; medicines and supplies are in short supply; doctors and nurses are inadequate and poorly motivated. The ongoing and prolonged impasse between the nurses and their employer needs urgent attention as the majority poor Zimbabweans who depend on the public health delivery services are struggling to access health care services due to the industrial action by the nurses and the situation in our hospitals has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as people are dying from preventable and avoidable diseases," Rusike said.

He added: "What VP Mohadi alluded to is a complete disconnection to the reality on the ground as our health delivery system is on a downward spiral with negative consequences for the ordinary Zimbabweans."

"The VP needs to be reminded that nurses have been on strike for more than two months now. A majority of our districts are operating with one or no ambulances that has greatly affected our referral system due to the poor emergency services resulting in unacceptably high maternal deaths as pregnant women end up giving birth at home or using alternative, but not suitable transportation when they face complications during delivery. "

"Universal health coverage remains a pipe-dream and is like a mirage for the majority of poor people in Zimbabwe," Rusike said.