The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has warned that Zimbabwe is sitting on a "growing powder keg" of disease and a failing public health system, calling for urgent investment in healthcare and stronger protections for workers.
In a statement issued to mark International Workers' Day, the health advocacy group said Zimbabwe's health workers are increasingly exposed to preventable diseases, unsafe working conditions and an overstretched health delivery system.
"We commemorate those lost to accidents and injury at work. Today we add thousands more lost to diseases that could have been prevented like AIDS, TB and malaria, including road traffic accidents," CWGH said.
The organisation also raised concern over a surge in non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, warning that the trend poses serious long-term economic and social consequences.
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"Long-term illness is more costly to treat not only for the health sector but also for the economy. This is a 'growing powder keg'," the group said.
CWGH stressed that urgent intervention is needed to prevent escalating healthcare costs, calling on government to channel earmarked taxes towards prevention and treatment programmes.
"Intervening now is thus not a cost but an investment... this cost escalation can be avoided," the organisation said.
The group further called for improved accountability and legislative backing to ensure funds collected through taxes such as the Sugar Tax, Fast Food Tax and Mobile Airtime Tax are used for their intended purposes.
"It said ring-fencing and improving accountability of earmarked taxes for health needs to be supported by legislation."
CWGH also highlighted widening inequalities in access to healthcare, particularly for low-income earners who rely on public institutions but are increasingly unable to afford services.
"Poor people depend on public health services and cannot afford private services. Yet the cost of health services in these institutions has also gone beyond the reach of many," the statement read.
The organisation criticised the country's medical aid system, saying even paying members are struggling to access adequate care.
"Subscribers have largely been short-changed, with paid-up members failing to access health care services and having to pay co-payments and shortfalls," it said.
CWGH urged the Health Services Commission to address governance issues and improve working conditions for health professionals in order to stem a growing exodus of skilled workers.
"Managing a professional workforce requires technical skill, but also humane traits and compassion that we find missing in the public health sector," the group said.
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It warned that poor working conditions and lack of resources are pushing skilled personnel out of the country, further weakening service delivery.
The organisation also called for the absorption of Village Health Workers into the government payroll, describing them as critical to strengthening primary healthcare systems.
"If the public health sector is keen to strengthen primary health care, the Village Health Workers must not be left out as key drivers," CWGH added.
