Govt engages Diaspora for health funding

Government has started engaging Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora with a view to getting assistance in the raising of funds for the health sector.

Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa has begged  Zimbabwe's diaspora community to assist in donating medical equipment for hospitals and clinics.

Parirenyatwa said government was struggling to fund the health sector.

"It's not a secret that government is facing financial challenges and we are appealing to our people in the Diaspora to chip in, in whatever form towards the revival and improvement of our health system.

"We are looking at human capital and medicinal assistance," Parirenyatwa said.

The country's health sector has largely been supported by the donor community, notably the United States, Britain and the European Union.

Donors have helped improve maternal and child health and nutrition, as well as ensuring the provision of essential medicines, vaccines and basic medical equipment. But Parirenyatwa said over-reliance on the donor community was risky, urging Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to help keep the country's health sector afloat.

Recently, Harare Central Hospital suspended surgeries  saying it has run short of painkillers, namely pethidine, injectable morphine, fentanyl, adrenaline, metochlopramide, sodium bicarbonate and some antibiotics, making it difficult to manage patients in pain and avoid infections after surgery.

Added Parirenyatwa : "We are looking at assistance of whatever nature, be it specialised equipment such as scanners, X-rays and so on and so forth."