Challenge Health Ministry: Truth Over Political Spin

Health Minister, Deputy Minister, Permanent Secretary, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health Ministry, and Government Spokesperson Nick Mangwana,

I write not in anger, but with a challenge—one grounded in concern, patriotism, and a sincere desire for truth and transparency in our public health system.

Following the Health Ministry‘s recent statement on social media declaring that “all is well” in Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector—echoed by Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana’s video of a painter allegedly working at Parirenyatwa Hospital—I respectfully call for action beyond curated visuals and carefully worded press statements. Zimbabweans deserve more than choreographed narratives. If the health sector is truly functioning well, let the public witness that reality firsthand—unedited, unannounced, and unfiltered.

Health Ministry Challenged: Show Us the Truth, Not Polished Narratives

Here is my challenge to the Health Ministry

Visit Parirenyatwa Hospital without prior notice. Go directly to the C-wards. Film what you encounter—beds, toilets, linen, meals served to patients, and the real-time availability of medicines. Speak candidly with patients, with nurses on shift, and—if possible—with doctors on the ground.

Inspect the Casualty Department. Record the condition of the toilets, the benches, and the availability of basic emergency equipment. Allow the nation to see the hygiene standards and treatment environment faced daily by staff and patients.

Walk through the Outpatients Department. If you can tolerate the stench from the mortuary nearby, your courage will already speak volumes. Show the benches where patients wait for hours. Report not what’s on procurement spreadsheets, but what medicines are actually reaching people.

Tour the Physiotherapy Department. Share visuals of any “state-of-the-art” equipment if it exists. Is there even a functioning hydrotherapy pool at Parirenyatwa, as claimed?

Then extend the tour to Harare Central Hospital. Apply the same inspection. If fuel permits, visit more institutions. The standard of care must be consistent across all central hospitals. Nurses at Harare Hospital recently protested over deplorable working conditions and the lack of essential drugs. Deputy Minister Kwidini himself acknowledged in Parliament the worrying trends in infant mortality. Yet your Health Ministryabels those raising concerns as “mischievous.” Really?

Your recent media tour of NATPHARM featured shelves of boxed medicine—some donated by USAID. That’s good for photo ops, but citizens don’t receive treatment at NATPHARM. They go to hospitals. Boxes sitting in storage do not heal patients. Medicine locked in warehouses does not relieve pain.

If you genuinely believe that the healthcare sector is on track, then take this challenge seriously. Visit these facilities unannounced before the next Cabinet meeting on Monday or Tuesday, 12 or 13 May. Do not allow time for rushed clean-ups or pre-arranged walk-throughs that distort the true picture.

To investigative journalists: This is your call to action. Use hidden cameras. Record what patients endure. Show us the toilets, wards, linen, and the queues. Let the nation compare your findings to the Ministry’s polished versions.

To the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health: You have a duty to lead impromptu oversight visits. The Constitution empowers you to serve the people—not to protect false comfort.

To the Vice President and Health Minister: You carry the responsibility for this sector. This challenge is not meant to shame—it’s an opportunity for accountability. Accept it, or risk validating public fears.

To senior government officials: Public Service Commission Chairman, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet—have you recently visited any public hospitals? Have you seen the state of our institutions and the working conditions of our healthcare staff?

Health is not a branding campaign. It is a matter of life and death. Spinning the truth is not just irresponsible—it is dangerous. It is a betrayal of public trust.