The ongoing nurses and doctors strike in Zimbabwe has created a crisis at most government hospitals. A lot of the public hospitals including the apex referral hospitals such as Parirenyatwa and Gomo have been left without essential staff. At Chitungwiza hospital wards are empty as sick patients have been asked to go home as there is no one left to take care of them. Meanwhile, the government is still dragging its feet on the demands being made by both nurses and doctors through their unions. In addition to this the government this also in the process of drafting a bill that will virtually deny nurses and doctors the right to engage in industrial action.

Empty wards at Chitungwiza Hospital

Even the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit which is meant to take care of very sick patients have also been shutdown. The doors to the unit appear to be locked. This means that scores of very sick people will be left with nowhere to go as just about every public hospital in the country is affected by the strike.

Health Services Board fighting for Range Rovers

The people tasked with making sure hospitals are well-equipped seem to have been sleeping on the job for years. Not only do they seem to be unaware of the problems plaguing the hospitals they are also happy to fight for Range Rovers that will be publicly funded by the taxpayer even though most hospitals are dilapidated and lack essential medicines. They are not the only government-owned institution to do this, unfortunately. All the board members of various parastatals care more about getting cars than they do about their duties. Sadly it is the ordinary man who suffers.