Zimbabwe nurses sound alarm over dire conditions

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has issued a desperate plea to the government to urgently address the worsening crisis in public hospitals, warning that nurses are working under "impossible conditions" that put patients' lives at risk.

For years, Zimbabwe's public hospitals- the backbone of healthcare delivery- have suffered neglect, with shortages of essential medical supplies forcing patients to buy their own or seek costly private care that many cannot afford.

In a statement released Tuesday, ZINA president Enock Dongo lamented the government's failure to support the health sector adequately.

"As nurses, we are working under impossible conditions. We are forced to improvise daily just to preserve life. But we cannot continue like this. The system has failed, and the suffering is unbearable," said Dongo.

He called on the government to make the health sector a top priority, urging immediate action to equip hospitals, support nursing staff, and save lives.

Dongo painted a bleak picture of public hospitals deteriorating rapidly. With winter approaching, many wards lack blankets for patients, and some hospitals do not have proper windows, exposing patients to the elements.

"Facilities are deteriorating fast. There are no blankets in many wards as we approach winter. Some hospitals do not even have proper windows," he said.

He added that critical services such as X-ray departments and diagnostic centres are either non-functional or nearly non-existent. Basic laboratory services are unavailable in many facilities, leaving nurses unable to perform essential tests.

"As a result, the sick are often referred to private hospitals they cannot afford, remaining in public wards in pain, waiting, suffering," Dongo said.

The challenges at public hospitals came into sharp focus recently when Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora acknowledged the dire state of Parirenyatwa Hospital, the country's largest referral hospital, following a tour sparked by public outcry. The conditions there mirror the reality faced by hospitals nationwide.

Over the years, health workers have repeatedly petitioned the government and staged protests calling for urgent intervention. Despite these efforts, authorities have been slow or reluctant to respond, leaving Zimbabwe's public healthcare system in a precarious state.

As the cold season sets in, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association's urgent appeal underscores the growing need for decisive government action to salvage the country's overstretched and under-resourced public health facilities.