Business / Economy
Zimbabwean economy has shrunk to less than half of Zambia
28 Feb 2012 at 06:45hrs | Views
HARARE - Once one of the biggest economies in southern Africa, Zimbabwe has shrunk to less than half of Zambia, Malawi and Namibia's economies, the National Economic Consultative Forum Executive Secretary, Amos Mushaninga has said.
He said this while addressing a stakeholders workshop on health equity in Harare last week.
"At one time the country's sole manufacturer of Aids drugs almost closed shop and relocated to South Africa until we intervened and asked government to amend policy.
"Did you know that at the height of the country's crisis our economy shrunk to less than that of little Swaziland and it's still a dire situation and this translates to very little investment in health care let alone equity in the sector," Mushaninga said.
He said there was need to create an enabling environment that will attract investors in not only the health sector but tourism and other sectors and if these pick up, the effects will be felt across the board.
"We cannot have a situation where people who are visitors in Zimbabwe if they want to travel to the Victoria Falls have to go to South Africa first before connecting to the Victoria Falls. It's a shameful situation."
"There is need for good intra-country connectivity so that we can import health in terms of patients. It's a business and if our infrastructure is resuscitated Zimbabwe could produce like we used to do about 80 percent of our pharmaceuticals," said Mushaninga.
The disclosure displeased former Health minister David Parirenyatwa who said he had been saddened by the figures.
"I am shocked to hear we have at one time been smaller than Swaziland. My heart moved and something has to be done for the sake of our national pride," Parirenyatwa said.
Zimbabwe's economy only began to pick up after the consummation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) but the health sector has continued to struggle alongside much of the country's economy because of skewed economic policies that include the much vilified indigenisation law.
He said this while addressing a stakeholders workshop on health equity in Harare last week.
"At one time the country's sole manufacturer of Aids drugs almost closed shop and relocated to South Africa until we intervened and asked government to amend policy.
"Did you know that at the height of the country's crisis our economy shrunk to less than that of little Swaziland and it's still a dire situation and this translates to very little investment in health care let alone equity in the sector," Mushaninga said.
He said there was need to create an enabling environment that will attract investors in not only the health sector but tourism and other sectors and if these pick up, the effects will be felt across the board.
"We cannot have a situation where people who are visitors in Zimbabwe if they want to travel to the Victoria Falls have to go to South Africa first before connecting to the Victoria Falls. It's a shameful situation."
"There is need for good intra-country connectivity so that we can import health in terms of patients. It's a business and if our infrastructure is resuscitated Zimbabwe could produce like we used to do about 80 percent of our pharmaceuticals," said Mushaninga.
The disclosure displeased former Health minister David Parirenyatwa who said he had been saddened by the figures.
"I am shocked to hear we have at one time been smaller than Swaziland. My heart moved and something has to be done for the sake of our national pride," Parirenyatwa said.
Zimbabwe's economy only began to pick up after the consummation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) but the health sector has continued to struggle alongside much of the country's economy because of skewed economic policies that include the much vilified indigenisation law.
Source - Daily News
