February 5, 2020

‘I inherited a broken down system’

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Mirirai Nsingo

Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has told parliament that he inherited a broken down health system which he was frantically working to put in order.

Appearing before the Health and Child Care parliamentary portfolio committee on Monday, Dr Moyo said the sector had deteriorated over the past 20 years.

Responding to the senior doctors’ petition that was handed over to Parliament in December 2019, Minister Moyo said he equally understood the doctor’s grievances.

The minister said while the doctors’ concerns were genuine, the country’s economy did not allow Government to meet their demands.

“I’m sure you all agree that I took over a broken down system and in these economic hardships, I’m trying all I can to revive it.

“The country has witnessed perennial strikes over the last 20 years. This is just all to show that this is not a problem which started recently.

“I’m glad that the doctors returned to work as we continue to find an amicable way of resolving the dispute.”

The country’s senior doctors in December petitioned Parliament to seriously look into the challenges that had led to the collapse of the country’s health system.

In their petition, the doctors accused Minister Moyo of having run down the sector and demanded that he be relieved of his duties.

The doctors further said they were not able to work due to lack of equipment in the hospitals. They noted that hospitals were flooded with obsolete equipment and accused the Ministry of purchasing equipment without consulting end users.

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