Families
have
raised
concerns
over
the
treatment
of
non-paying
patients,
particularly
the
elderly.
One
family
in
Bulawayo
shared
their
distress
after
their
80-year-old
father,
suffering
from
high
blood
pressure,
diabetes,
and
sores,
was
seemingly
overlooked
by
hospital
staff.
“We
thought
his
condition,
especially
the
wounds,
needed
admission
so
they
could
be
dressed
daily.
But
the
nurses
and
doctor
seemed
eager
to
send
him
home,”
a
family
member
said.
A
doctor,
speaking
anonymously,
acknowledged
this
trend.
“Hospitals
rely
on
paying
patients
to
generate
revenue
because
government
funding
is
limited.
This
means
prioritising
those
who
can
pay,”
the
doctor
explained.
Health
experts
and
advocacy
groups
have
voiced
alarm
over
the
government’s
declining
commitment
to
public
healthcare
funding.
Thokozile
Ruzvidzo,
Director
of
the
Zimbabwe
Women’s
Resource
Centre
and
Network
(ZWRCN),
noted
the
2025
National
Budget
allocates
only
ZW$28.3
billion
(US$785.9
million)
to
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care—just
10%
of
total
spending,
down
from
10.6%
in
2024.
This
allocation
is
far
below
the
Abuja
Declaration
target
of
15%.
Ruzvidzo
also
highlighted
the
drop
in
per
capita
health
spending
from
US$71.8
in
2024
to
US$65
in
2025,
significantly
lower
than
the
global
averages
reported
by
the
WHO.
Community
Working
Group
on
Health
(CWGH)
Executive
Director
Itai
Rusike
criticised
the
reliance
on
out-of-pocket
and
external
funding.
“Inadequate
public
financing
leaves
patients
bearing
the
brunt
of
healthcare
costs,”
he
said.
Rusike
pointed
out
that
while
funds
have
been
earmarked
for
hospital
construction,
medical
equipment,
and
ambulances
in
2025,
the
allocations
fall
short
of
what
is
required.
He
also
stressed
the
need
for
timely
disbursements,
noting
the
Ministry
of
Health
had
only
received
52.6%
of
its
budget
by
September
2024.
Rusike
noted
that
funding
gaps
disproportionately
affect
vulnerable
groups,
including
women,
newborns,
children,
and
adolescents.
“No
country
can
achieve
universal
health
coverage
(UHC)
without
relying
on
a
dominant
share
of
public
funds.
It
is
crucial
to
ensure
resources
are
adequately
allocated,
efficiently
used,
and
accessible
to
all,
especially
the
most
vulnerable,”
he
said.