Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – The untimely demise of the vibrant Afropop musician, Garikai Mapanzure, known by his stage name Garry, has brought to the forefront the dire state of Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure. Garry, aged 25, tragically passed away in mid-October following a devastating accident near his residence in Masvingo, approximately 295 kilometers from the capital city of Harare.
The harrowing ordeal unfolded at the government-run Masvingo Provincial Hospital, where Garry’s family fervently fought for his life amidst what they described as inadequate medical equipment. His family attributes his passing, in part, to the deficiencies in healthcare resources, including the lack of critical medical supplies, shortage of ambulances, and insufficient oxygen provisions.
Garry’s premature departure has left behind not only his grieving wife but also a one-year-old son. The sorrow was further compounded by the loss of Garry’s friend, a student at Great Zimbabwe University, and a niece, who also succumbed to the accident.
Speaking at Garry’s funeral in Masvingo, his sister, Kudzai Mapanzure-Chikwanha, lamented the systemic failings of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, stating that it had ultimately failed her brother. Recounting their agonizing struggle, she highlighted the absence of essential medical equipment, specifically a computed tomography (CT) scan, which could have potentially averted the tragic outcome.
The deteriorating state of the nation’s healthcare system has been a cause for concern, with severe shortages of healthcare professionals, critical medical equipment such as intensive care unit beds, and basic medication, including essentials like paracetamol, further exacerbating the crisis.
Johannes Marisa, the president of the Medical and Dental Private Health Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe, underscored the inadequacies, citing the country’s failure to meet the World Health Organization’s six building blocks crucial for a robust healthcare delivery system. Marisa emphasized the vital components of the health workforce, medicines and drugs, health financing, governance, service delivery, and information systems, lamenting the deficiencies in these critical areas.
Highlighting the disparity between Zimbabwe’s healthcare budget and international standards, Marisa noted that the country fell short of the Abuja Declaration’s stipulation of allocating at least 15 percent of the total budget to the health sector.
The alarming exodus of healthcare professionals, with over 4000 nurses leaving Zimbabwe since 2021, has further exacerbated the healthcare crisis. The pressing challenges of brain drain and inadequate healthcare facilities have engendered a situation where public health facilities are struggling to provide essential care, thereby compounding the existing health crisis.
Itai Rusike, Executive Director at the Community Working Group on Health, emphasized the critical need to address the declining capacity of public health facilities in screening, diagnosing, and managing both communicable and non-communicable diseases. He highlighted the multifaceted challenges faced, including the impact of poor road conditions on emergency services and the limited access to basic healthcare services.
The domino effect has extended to the medical aid sector, where medical practitioners are facing challenges with medical aid societies, leading to disparities in access to healthcare and exacerbating existing inequities.
As the shadow of tragedy looms large over Zimbabwe, the poignant demise of Garry serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the systemic failures within the nation’s healthcare system. Efforts to rectify these deficiencies are imperative to safeguard the well-being of all Zimbabweans, irrespective of their social or economic standing.
By IPS UN Bureau Report
