Opinion / Columnist
Leaders seeking treatment abroad destroy their health system
04 Sep 2017 at 11:24hrs | Views
My father used to say if a man does not sleep at home he will never buy a bed. This is very true when applied to politicians on the continent seeking medical help anywhere but home. Politicians have shown great dislike of their Health Care and que for treatment abroad. Seeing that leaders have no confidence with their health system the health workers as well make a bee line to offer their skills abroad.
In England alone there are more Zimbabwean nurses than there are Zimbabweans in Harare. This speaks volumes of our health systems and our leaders.
Some countries rely on the opposition to bring up these ills and heal the health system. But in Zimbabwe Tsvangirai is rushed to South Africa for treatment and to Botswana for a Road accident treatment.
Africa's public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children, people travel long distances to receive health care, and across the continent patients sleep on hospital floors. On top of this, Africa's health professionals emigrate in droves to search for greener pastures. Nurses in Africa ill-treat their patience in a very bad manner and no one cares to correct it.
It's therefore not surprising that leaders from Africa travel abroad – mainly to Europe, North America and Asia – for their medical needs. Zambia had all its dead presidents die abroad shunning their own hospitals. If a man knows that he will never be treated in that country he will not put any effort to make things right. It can be argued that private citizens opting to seek medical help in other countries don't owe the public any explanation, because it's their own affair. But leaders who have the mandate to make the health system good should not run away from what they are making. What language are they speaking, what message are they relaying to the public. Who can eat a meal knowing very well that the cook will never eat from that plate? Medical tourism among political elite is a completely a big cause for concern, because they are responsible for the development of proper health care for the citizens of their countries yet they run away from the works of their hands.
The politicians fail to improve the medical facilities of their country. They betray the trust invested in them by the public. They use the public funds to finance their health escapades. They have no confidence in the system they are presiding over.
the poor health system of Africa is caused by the leaders who abandon their hospitals for treatment abroad. Since the beginning of 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has spent more time in the UK for medical treatment than he has in his own country. By seeking treatment abroad, Buhari broke one of his own electoral promises – to end medical tourism. In South Africa president Zuma rushes to Russia for treatment while Vice President of Zimbabwe crawl to South Africa for a stomach upset. Top officials flies all over the world for a ankle dislocation. Who will improve our own health system?
The opposition are no saints either Morgan Tsvangirai flies to South Africa for a head ache while Mr Mutasa flies his wife to India for treatment.
Patrice Talon, the President of the Republic of Benin, underwent surgery in France a few months ago. Jose Eduardo dos Santos who has just stepped down as Angola's leader after 38 years, also travels to Spain for treatment. Zambia's Levy Mwanawasa died in France while the country's other president Michael Sata passed away in the UK. Then there was Guinea Bissau's Malam Bacai Sanha who died in France, Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi who died in Belgium, and Gabon's Omar Bongo who died in Spain. A few fortunate ones made it home, but died shortly afterwards. They include Nigeria's Musa Yar'Adua who died in Abuja after returning from treatment in Saudi Arabia, and Ghana's Atta Mills who died in Accra after returning from a brief medical spell in the US
As long as Africa finds no confidence in its health system the ambition for better health infrastructure will remain an illusion. If one looks how quick roads are fixed when the president is to visit a province, then surely the same will be done if the president is visiting a hospital.
The failure of leaders to improve health care and stem brain drain also carries a heavy price. On top of this, African hospitals that were previously world class have been reduced to symbolic edifices due to political negligence. Essentially, when people charged with responsibility feel they have no need for public health systems because they can afford private health care at home or abroad, ordinary citizens bear the brunt. It is true that where two elephants fight it is the grass which suffers.
If every hospital in Africa is treated as a presidential hospital Africa will have top of the rage hospitals and proper medical system. If the pain of sickness which is felt by the ministers could be felt by everybody then every hospital will be a world class top of the range hospitals. Most leaders make their countries cemeteries where they are only buried and never treated.
vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk
In England alone there are more Zimbabwean nurses than there are Zimbabweans in Harare. This speaks volumes of our health systems and our leaders.
Some countries rely on the opposition to bring up these ills and heal the health system. But in Zimbabwe Tsvangirai is rushed to South Africa for treatment and to Botswana for a Road accident treatment.
Africa's public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children, people travel long distances to receive health care, and across the continent patients sleep on hospital floors. On top of this, Africa's health professionals emigrate in droves to search for greener pastures. Nurses in Africa ill-treat their patience in a very bad manner and no one cares to correct it.
It's therefore not surprising that leaders from Africa travel abroad – mainly to Europe, North America and Asia – for their medical needs. Zambia had all its dead presidents die abroad shunning their own hospitals. If a man knows that he will never be treated in that country he will not put any effort to make things right. It can be argued that private citizens opting to seek medical help in other countries don't owe the public any explanation, because it's their own affair. But leaders who have the mandate to make the health system good should not run away from what they are making. What language are they speaking, what message are they relaying to the public. Who can eat a meal knowing very well that the cook will never eat from that plate? Medical tourism among political elite is a completely a big cause for concern, because they are responsible for the development of proper health care for the citizens of their countries yet they run away from the works of their hands.
The politicians fail to improve the medical facilities of their country. They betray the trust invested in them by the public. They use the public funds to finance their health escapades. They have no confidence in the system they are presiding over.
The opposition are no saints either Morgan Tsvangirai flies to South Africa for a head ache while Mr Mutasa flies his wife to India for treatment.
Patrice Talon, the President of the Republic of Benin, underwent surgery in France a few months ago. Jose Eduardo dos Santos who has just stepped down as Angola's leader after 38 years, also travels to Spain for treatment. Zambia's Levy Mwanawasa died in France while the country's other president Michael Sata passed away in the UK. Then there was Guinea Bissau's Malam Bacai Sanha who died in France, Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi who died in Belgium, and Gabon's Omar Bongo who died in Spain. A few fortunate ones made it home, but died shortly afterwards. They include Nigeria's Musa Yar'Adua who died in Abuja after returning from treatment in Saudi Arabia, and Ghana's Atta Mills who died in Accra after returning from a brief medical spell in the US
As long as Africa finds no confidence in its health system the ambition for better health infrastructure will remain an illusion. If one looks how quick roads are fixed when the president is to visit a province, then surely the same will be done if the president is visiting a hospital.
The failure of leaders to improve health care and stem brain drain also carries a heavy price. On top of this, African hospitals that were previously world class have been reduced to symbolic edifices due to political negligence. Essentially, when people charged with responsibility feel they have no need for public health systems because they can afford private health care at home or abroad, ordinary citizens bear the brunt. It is true that where two elephants fight it is the grass which suffers.
If every hospital in Africa is treated as a presidential hospital Africa will have top of the rage hospitals and proper medical system. If the pain of sickness which is felt by the ministers could be felt by everybody then every hospital will be a world class top of the range hospitals. Most leaders make their countries cemeteries where they are only buried and never treated.
vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk
Source - Dr Masimba Mavaza
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