Mugabe Hands Out Cars, Medical Equipment Amid Campaigning

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Thursday launched an ambitious program to halt the collapse of the country’s health sector in which he promised to look into the welfare concerns of underpaid medical practitioners.

Mugabe launched the health recovery program under a cloud of opposition criticism that he has presided over the collapse of what was once one of Africa’s best healthcare systems.

The main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has used the poor state of the health as one of its campaigning points.

The sector has been battered by an eight-year economic and political crisis that has forced thousands of doctors and nurses to flee the country in search of better opportunities in other countries.

Strikes by underpaid doctors and nurses at state hospitals have become a regular occurrence on Zimbabwe’s health calendar since 2000, while shortages of drugs and medical equipment have forced Zimbabweans to seek treatment in neighboring South Africa.

Launching the program at Harare Central Hospital in the capital, Mugabe said the initiative would ease the plight of medical personnel, health institutions and the public and move the country towards meeting commitments made at the 2000 United Nations Millennium Summit.

Under the program, Mugabe pledged to construct 2,200 houses for medical personnel over the next 24 months and to provide 65 buses for health institutions.

To pacify restive medical doctors, the 84-year-old Zimbabwean leader promised to distribute 450 cars for medical practitioners at public health institutions while the institutions would get 97 ambulances.

Some 105 generators would be distributed to hospitals around the country to ease the impact of constant electricity cuts that are affecting the country.

The health recovery program becomes the second initiative where Mugabe has dished out freebies to Zimbabweans in a desperate bid to win votes in elections set for Saturday (29 March).

He faces stiff challenges from opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former finance minister, Simba Makoni.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher