By A Correspondent
Nurses at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare staged a protest yesterday, temporarily halting operations in response to the worsening working conditions at the facility.
The demonstration, which saw dozens of healthcare workers waving placards, was sparked by critical shortages of essential medical supplies and poor maintenance that have left staff struggling to provide adequate care to patients.
The protesters highlighted several key issues plaguing the hospital, including inadequate medical equipment, malfunctioning elevators, and a lack of basic necessities like electricity and running water. In a particularly concerning statement, they revealed that snakes had been found in some of the wards, a consequence of poor maintenance and the hospital’s deteriorating infrastructure.
One nurse, speaking during the protest, emphasized the dire situation, saying, “We are working under very difficult conditions, with broken equipment and no running water. It’s a matter of life and death, and we can no longer work in these conditions.
We have to be heard.” Another nurse added, “The elevators are not working, patients have to be carried up the stairs, and we don’t have the basic medicines to treat them. It’s unacceptable.”
In response to the mounting protests, the Minister of Health, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, intervened and met with the protesting healthcare workers. He acknowledged the severity of the issues raised but assured the nurses that the government was committed to improving the conditions at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and other public health facilities across the country.
However, the protest has raised serious concerns about the state of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, which has been deteriorating for years due to chronic underfunding, mismanagement, and a lack of basic resources. The nurses’ protest is a stark reminder of the everyday struggles faced by healthcare workers, who are often forced to work without the proper tools or environment to deliver quality care.
The situation at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital is not unique. Other public hospitals across the country have been grappling with similar challenges, including a shortage of medical personnel, inadequate supplies, and poor infrastructure.
As Zimbabwe’s healthcare system continues to deteriorate, nurses and doctors are becoming increasingly vocal in their demands for better working conditions and adequate resources to ensure the health and safety of both patients and healthcare workers.
For now, the protest has temporarily disrupted operations at one of the country’s busiest hospitals, but whether the government’s intervention will lead to real improvements remains to be seen. Nurses are clear in their demands: without substantial changes, the situation will only worsen, and the country’s healthcare system will continue to crumble under the weight of neglect and underinvestment.