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Zimbabwe’s Healthcare System Teeters on the Brink as Doctors Flee Abroad

A severe shortage of medical doctors is crippling Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, with many leaving the country in search of better working conditions and salaries. This mass exodus has left marginalized communities, particularly those in rural areas, without access to essential medical services.

According to Deputy Minister of Health Sleiman Kwidini, the migration of doctors abroad has had a devastating impact on the country’s healthcare system, especially in rural areas. “We are still training more doctors because many have left the country for greener pastures,” Kwidini said in a recent address to the National Assembly. “We are looking forward to having more doctors in 2029 to 2030 to service these rural hospitals.”

The lack of medical professionals has forced citizens in rural areas to walk long distances to access medical services, exacerbating an already dire situation. Kwidini attributed this shortage to a lack of accommodation facilities at rural clinics, making it difficult to attract and retain doctors. “We need doctors in rural hospitals so that elderly people do not have to travel long distances to see doctors,” he emphasized. “However, we have a challenge with the doctors’ houses in district hospitals, which results in elderly people failing to find those doctors in rural hospitals.”

The country’s health system is in shambles, with the majority of citizens relying on private facilities, while the poor are left to contend with underfunded public hospitals. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pledged to address the situation, with renovations underway at Parirenyatwa Hospital. However, the road to recovery will be long and arduous, requiring significant investment in infrastructure, personnel, and resources.

As Zimbabwe struggles to stem the brain drain of medical professionals, the consequences of inaction will only continue to worsen. The government must prioritize the needs of its citizens and take concrete steps to address the systemic issues driving doctors away. Only then can the country hope to rebuild its healthcare system and provide its people with the medical care they so desperately need.