> Let's Forward this Post Everywhere ❕ *“We are working under impossible conditions, we cannot continue like this” – nurses plead with govt to prioritise public health sector* Also Read Below: *Hospitals in Zimbabwe face collapse as treatable illnesses claim lives – nurses group sounds alarm* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDkMuTFCCoNC13vvo2V _*©Eragon Online News*_ *_(Follow this channel to read more...)_* *Group Link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/CDyzvhE1ey5H89lorhyIvn THE Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has made a desperate appeal to the government to urgently address the situation in public hospitals, saying they are working under “impossible conditions” which are endangering lives. Government has for years continued to neglect public hospitals, which are the largest providers of healthcare services in the country. Public hospitals across Zimbabwe lack basic medical supplies, with patients being left to purchase their own or referred to private hospitals where charges are beyond the reach of many. In a statement Tuesday, ZINA president Enock Dongo said the government has failed the health sector. “As nurses, we are working under impossible conditions. We are forced to improvise daily just to preserve life. But we cannot continue like this. The system has failed, and the suffering is unbearable. “We call on the government of Zimbabwe to urgently prioritise the health sector. Equip hospitals. Support nurses. Save lives. This situation must be addressed without delay,” Dongo said. Dongo also said public hospitals do not have blankets for patients in this winter season and some wards do not have windows. “Facilities are deteriorating fast. There are no blankets in many wards as we approach winter. Some hospitals do not even have proper windows. “X-ray departments are not functioning. Diagnostic centres are almost non-existent. Basic lab services are unavailable. “Nurses are unable to conduct essential tests, and the sick are being referred to private hospitals that they cannot afford. They remain in public wards, in pain, waiting, suffering,” Dongo added. Recently, Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora admitted that Zimbabwe’s biggest referral public hospital, Parirenyatwa, is in a bad state after a tour following a public outcry. The situation at Parirenyatwa is a reflection of all public hospitals in the country. Over the years, health workers have submitted numerous petitions and staged protests calling for urgent government intervention; however, the authorities have taken little to no action. *Hospitals in Zimbabwe face collapse as treatable illnesses claim lives – nurses group sounds alarm* Nurses in Zimbabwe have issued a stark warning regarding the deteriorating state of the nation’s public health system, claiming that citizens are succumbing to easily treatable diseases due to a severe lack of essential resources. In a statement on Tuesday, Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president Enock Dongo highlighted what the association described as a “national emergency,” asserting that the continued neglect of public hospitals has led to widespread disrepair and an inability to provide adequate care. According to ZINA, public hospitals are critically short of basic medication, forcing patients to purchase their own drugs and supplies. The association contended that deaths are occurring not due to a lack of medical expertise, but from the absence of fundamental medications, equipment, and resources. “We challenge anyone in denial to visit Harare Central Hospital or any provincial hospital-today. Ask yourself if you or your loved one would receive the care you deserve. “It is only when you or someone close to you falls sick that you fully realise how broken our healthcare system has become,” the association stated. “Public hospitals have no medication. Patients are told to buy their own drugs or supplies for things that should be readily available. People are dying from diseases that are easily treatable. “These are not deaths due to lack of medical knowledge or skill-but deaths caused simply by the absence of basic medication, equipment, and resources “Facilities are deteriorating fast. There are no blankets in many wards as we approach winter. Some hospitals don’t even have proper windows. X-ray departments are not functioning. Diagnostic centres are almost non-existent. “Basic lab services are unavailable. Nurses are unable to conduct essential tests, and the sick are being referred to private hospitals they cannot afford. They remain in public wards, in pain, waiting, suffering.” ZINA cited the “impossible conditions” under which nurses are working, forced to improvise daily to preserve lives. The association has urgently called upon the Government of Zimbabwe to prioritise the health sector, equip hospitals, and support nurses to prevent further loss of life. Last month, Youth Empowerment Minister Tinoda Machakaire publicly voiced significant concern regarding the state of Zimbabwe’s public healthcare system, directly implicating President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for allegedly disregarding “important realities on the ground.” Following a personal visit to an unnamed public health institution, Machakaire posted on X, suggesting a profound disconnect between perceived progress and the daily struggles of citizens. He described the conditions he witnessed as “deeply moving” and indicative of the “serious challenges” facing many Zimbabweans, confirming that the increasing public outcry over healthcare accurately reflects the experiences of numerous citizens. Machakaire then directly appealed to the President, urging him to personally visit public health institutions to gain firsthand insight into the dire situation. Zimbabwe’s healthcare system has long grappled with substantial challenges, often attributed to prolonged economic instability, corruption allegations, and administrative shortcomings, consistently failing to meet the Abuja Declaration’s recommendation of allocating at least 15% of the national budget to health.