HARARE – Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has pledged to radically transform Zimbabwe’s deteriorating public healthcare system, calling it a national priority that requires visionary and accountable leadership.
Chamisa’s bold statement follows recent remarks by Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Minister Tinoda Machakaire, who made a rare public appeal for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to visit public hospitals and witness the severe decline in medical services. Machakaire admitted that the complaints voiced by ordinary Zimbabweans about the state of healthcare facilities were valid and deserved immediate government attention.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Chamisa responded with a passionate call for reform, promising to deliver a “world-class healthcare system” that would not only serve Zimbabweans effectively but also position the country as a destination for medical tourism.
“Just imagine our hospitals being equipped with the latest technologies and modern equipment,” Chamisa wrote. “Our hospitals must be places of healing and revitalisation. First-class health facilities and cutting-edge hospital infrastructure are a leadership task.”
He continued: “The tone is set at the top. A country takes the shape of its leadership. Zimbabwe will be known for medical tourism. We will be renowned as a healing nation. Yes, a healthy nation and a healed people. It is possible. We will do it.”
Widespread Decay and Medical Exodus
Chamisa’s comments echo growing frustration among citizens who regularly endure long queues, drug shortages, and understaffed hospitals. Many health facilities across the country lack basic supplies such as painkillers, gloves, and diagnostic tools, while dilapidated infrastructure and frequent power outages compromise patient care.
Doctors and nurses have repeatedly downed tools in protest over poor salaries and working conditions, leading to a mass exodus of skilled professionals to countries offering better opportunities. This brain drain has further weakened the country’s ability to deliver essential healthcare services.
Meanwhile, Zimbabweans who seek treatment in neighbouring countries like South Africa face mounting hostility. Some South African healthcare workers and citizens accuse foreign nationals of straining their already burdened system.
Political Will Under Scrutiny
Chamisa’s vision for healthcare reform forms part of his broader promise to rebuild key national institutions. However, critics question whether such pledges can materialise in Zimbabwe’s tightly controlled political environment, where opposition activity is often met with restrictions and intimidation.
Nevertheless, his statements have resonated with many citizens disillusioned by the status quo and yearning for transformative leadership.
“Chamisa is raising the right issues,” said a Harare-based health policy analyst. “But Zimbabwe’s healthcare crisis isn’t just a policy problem—it’s a governance problem. Any real change will require political will and structural reforms.”
With the 2028 elections on the horizon, Chamisa’s call for a health system overhaul may become a central campaign theme, setting the stage for an intense national debate on the future of public service delivery in Zimbabwe.
Source: NewZimbabwe
