Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care Minister, Douglas Mombeshora, has publicly stated that 60% of Zimbabweans are relying on traditional healers for medical assistance. The minister’s comments have thrown a spotlight on the deteriorating state of public healthcare, which has been crippled by a mass exodus of medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
The foundation of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system has been weakened by decades of economic hardship, leading to a severe brain drain. It is reported that approximately 4,000 nurses, doctors, and other health workers have left the country for nations like the United Kingdom and South Africa in recent years.
This flight is primarily attributed to the government’s struggle to offer competitive salaries, with many professionals earning less than US$200 a month. The resulting shortages have left hospitals understaffed, under-equipped, and often lacking essential medicines, creating an environment where patients frequently fail to receive adequate treatment.
60% Of Zimbabweans Use Traditional Healers
Speaking at the inauguration of the Tait Medical Centre in Rusape, Minister Mombeshora made a direct appeal to the public, acknowledging the widespread use of traditional practitioners while urging a return to conventional medicine.
“I know 60% of people, who are gathered here, are seeking the services of n’angas (traditional healers) to get medical assistance,” he stated. “I know that I am not saying n’angas are not good, but there is a time you need to go to a hospital.”
His remarks are a rare official admission of the scale of the problem, coming at a time when reports consistently highlight the dire conditions within public health institutions.