State of Health
Zimbabwe's health system has been directly affected by the ailing economy
and further crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Public hospitals cannot
offer primary healthcare as they operate on shoestring budgets. Private
hospitals charge exorbitant fees, leaving most citizens stripped of their right
to access essential healthcare services. The Ministry of Health and Child Care
and other health stakeholders in Zimbabwe are struggling to contain a
measles outbreak that has already infected more than 5 735 children and
killed at least 639 children. The raging measles outbreak is spreading fast,
mostly among children of members of the Apostolic Church who do not
subscribe to having their children vaccinated. The failure to contain the
spread is a dilemma that the Zanu PF government battles between
safeguarding a vast voter base and making it mandatory for all to vaccinate
their children. In line with this, ZPP recommends the government adopt the
following interventions to ensure the revival of the health sector in
Zimbabwe:
Ratification of the Abuja Declaration on Health to increase government health
funding to at least 15% of the national budget.
Enforcement of anti-corruption laws in the country to ensure that financial
resources meant for the health sector are not corruptly abused by certain
protected individuals.
Enforce laws that make mandatory for infants to be vaccinated against the
seven killer diseases
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