Health and Environment deplorable in Harare

Harare Residents Trust has expressed concern that health services at local health centres are mostly deplorable yet it is common knowledge that Zimbabwe and the City of Harare in particular have some of the most competent health personnel.

The trust said nurses and other medical teams in local health centres allegedly conduct private business at council health centres, and occasionally discriminate patients seeking treatment in terms of access to drugs.

"Patients are usually referred to Harare Hospital which is also overwhelmed. Consultation fees are beyond their reach," said the trust.

"The HRT shall put in place monitoring mechanisms at local level to ensure that the operations at local health centres are closely monitored in the interest of health for the residents."

HRT said where cases of abuse of authority and health centre resources, it shall be the policy of the HRT to engage the City Health Department, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, and other national bodies to improve service provision.

"It shall be the policy of the HRT to demand that planning of all new residential areas should reserve land for the construction of health centres to avoid a situation where some suburbs have no local health centres, forcing residents to seek treatment elsewhere," said the trust.

"Consultation fees at health centres should be within the reach of the majority in that particular community to ensure that the City of Harare health policies promote access to health for all citizens."

The HRT said it shall engage ZESA on load shedding at health centres and shall also collaborate with such statutory bodies like the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to safeguard the environment against illegal waste disposal and management.