The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has decried deteriorating, colonial-era infrastructure at the country’s public hospitals, warning that it continues to undermine the delivery of quality healthcare.
In a statement marking World Health Day on Tuesday, ZHRC chairperson Jessie Majome said the health system is grappling with deep-rooted structural challenges despite policy and legal progress.
The Commission’s remarks come amid ongoing unrest in the public health sector, with nurses and other healthcare workers recently staging protests at major hospitals over low salaries and poor working conditions.
“Celebrating health comes at a time when the sector is under strain,” Majome said. “The goal of building a healthier nation remains impeded by significant challenges.”
She cited shortages of drugs for chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and mental health disorders, as well as limited essential sundries. Many hospitals built during the colonial era are in disrepair, with critical shortages of diagnostic equipment, including CT scanners and dialysis machines. Facilities are further constrained by non-functional mortuaries, outdated incinerators, and poor water and sanitation systems, alongside worsening staff welfare conditions.
The Commission acknowledged government efforts, supported by development partners, to strengthen the sector through initiatives such as the National Health Strategy, the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme, and investments in primary healthcare.
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“The efforts of healthcare workers who continue to deliver services under challenging conditions are deeply appreciated,” Majome said. “The recent public discourse around the Medical Services Amendment Bill, particularly on reproductive health services, reflects growing national awareness of the need to align health legislation with constitutional imperatives.”
ZHRC said the burden of these systemic challenges falls disproportionately on vulnerable groups, including women, children and persons with disabilities, particularly in rural communities. Issues such as overcrowded mothers’ shelters, lack of sign language interpreters and inadequate food provisions in some mission institutions continue to undermine care delivery.
The Commission warned that without urgent intervention to modernise infrastructure and address resource gaps, Zimbabwe risks further erosion of healthcare standards despite existing constitutional guarantees.