The Sunday Mail
Dr Simbarashe Ndoda
At Independence, Government made great leaps, in the right direction when it comes to the health sector; this considering it set up numerous clinics, hospitals and referral centers to function with well motivated staff and availed medicine ranging from malaria meds to the later HIV drugs.
Thirty-four years later, we have not consolidated on this very fine base and seem to have stagnated, and far too many people do not have access to healthcare services.
Let me break this down so that we see what a dangerous road we are on. Only a minority can afford to pay cash or afford medical aid schemes that comprehensively cover and sustain their needs.
Most people on Government payroll earn less than US$500 a month, and with the ever-increasing cost of living it is only in theory that we can expect everyone to be on medical aid let alone cover that truly caters for their needs and those of their families, whether immediate or extended.
In this regard the media rightly highlighted via the now infamous “salarygate” scandal that these gross inequalities should be corrected henceforth.
The majority of people not on medical-aid end up having to see general practitioners using cash, paying anything from US$20 to US$50 for a mere consultations.
This is an exorbitant asking fee for most people in Zimbabwe, therefore it is safe to say that people are entirely reliant on Government medical facilities to be fully functional.
But public health institutions are plagued by aging equipment, medicine shortages and under-motivated but well-qualified staff.
The state of Government health facilities is so bad at this point in time when a doctors’ strike is raging, that even being admitted in an institution does not guarantee treatment.
Basic such as drips and rudimentary medication are the backbone of public health services and save lives when they are readily available for administering. Sadly even lab tests are not carried out if the admitted patient does not fork out extra fees for these tests and things such as blood transfusions are costly.
This, therefore, begs the question: “Where are we going wrong?”
The powers that be and those responsible for the health of the nation should surely address this as a matter of urgency as lives are needlessly lost with each passing day.
This is also compounded by the fact that most of the people in the health delivery system from the striking doctors to the nurses are not motivated since the working environments are depressing and their salaries do nothing to prod them to innovate. As such, these professionals leave for other countries where they are offered not only better remuneration, but also all the basic tools they need to carry out their duties as they have been trained to do.
As one senior doctor said recently, “The worst thing the Government can do is to allow brain drain to continue unabated as these are the individuals who have to help rebuild the system.” Given the obvious economic hardships our nation is facing, I believe the least that the nation expects is a functional health delivery system as nothing is more important than life itself.
Greater investment in public health is a must, and Government can surely find innovative ways of collaborating with co-operating partners to direct more resources to this crucial sector.
Our broader economic recovery cannot be sustained without a healthy populace.
Dr Simbarashe Ndoda (MBCHB-UZ) has professional work experience in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
