South Africa’s Health Minister Criticizes Zimbabwe’s Healthcare Failures Amid Influx of Patients

Aaron Motsoaledi
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JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, has strongly criticized Zimbabwe’s declining healthcare system, which has resulted in a growing number of Zimbabwean patients seeking treatment in South African hospitals.

Zimbabwe’s public healthcare sector has been deteriorating for years, with the government unable to provide even basic medications, such as painkillers, despite significant expenditure on other areas of the economy.

Addressing the African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee Lekgotla in Benoni, Motsoaledi, who has been serving as Health Minister since July 4, likened the situation to a father sending his children to a neighbor’s house for food without prior discussion. He expressed frustration over Zimbabwe’s healthcare crisis, citing a recent case where a Zimbabwean doctor referred a patient with stage 4 cancer to South Africa, requesting a pint of blood.

Motsoaledi condemned the practice of relying on neighboring countries for healthcare services, arguing that Zimbabwe should focus on developing its own healthcare infrastructure, including the capability to manage blood donations, rather than sending patients across the border for treatment.

His remarks come in the context of ongoing controversy surrounding Phophi Ramathuba, the newly elected Premier of Limpopo, who previously criticized Zimbabwe’s governance for overburdening South Africa’s healthcare system. Ramathuba faced significant backlash in 2022 for her outspoken comments on the issue.

Motsoaledi also took aim at African leaders who neglect their own healthcare systems and seek medical treatment abroad when they fall ill, leaving their citizens without adequate care. He called for an end to this practice, highlighting its prevalence across the continent.

The late former President Robert Mugabe was frequently criticized for traveling to Asia for medical treatment, a practice many believe contributed to the chronic underfunding of Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector. This has led to a mass exodus of skilled healthcare professionals from Zimbabwe in search of better working conditions, further exacerbating the country’s healthcare challenges.