The Movement for Democratic Change today paid condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the Mvuma bus accident but said the road disaster had exposed the deplorable and decayed state of Zimbabwe’s public hospitals and clinics.
“Victims of the accident could not access prompt medical attention because the medical facilities at the nearby Chaka and Mvuma hospitals leave a lot to be desired,” party spokesman Obert Gutu said.
“Simple medicines like painkillers and medical drips could not be accessed, leaving the victims of the accident in excruciating pain and agony.
“We thus call upon the government to ensure that our public medical facilities are, at the very least, equipped with basic medicines and medical equipment.
“The majority of Zimbabweans have been pauperised through decades of ZANU-PF misrule and rampant corruption and as such, they do not have the financial means to engage private hospital facilities.”
Some 20 people on the South-African bound were killed in the accident which the government declared a national disaster.
The Beitbridge-Harare road is being dualised at a cost of about $1 billion.
Full statement
Sunday, 09 April 2017
MDC mourns victims of the Mvuma bus disaster
The MDC would like to express its deepest condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in the bus accident that occurred at Chaka business centre near Mvuma, a few days ago. It is indeed heart-breaking to learn that more than twenty people were burnt beyond recognition when a Proline bus bound for Johannesburg caught fire on April 5, 2017. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and we wish those who were injured in the bus tragedy a very speedy recovery.
As a social democratic political party, the MDC empathizes with the plight of our road users who are traveling on our accident prone dilapidated national highways. We call upon the government to ensure that all national roads are repaired as a matter of urgency and that they are made safe for vehicular traffic. Our national highways have become death traps in which hundreds of lives are lost each and every day. The state of our national highways is deplorable and it has become extremely unsafe to drive on Zimbabwe's roads.
The Mvuma road disaster also exposed the deplorable and decayed state of our public hospitals and clinics. Victims of the accident could not access prompt medical attention because the medical facilities at the nearby Chaka and Mvuma hospitals leave a lot to be desired. Simple medicines like painkillers and medical drips could not be accessed, leaving the victims of the accident in excruciating pain and agony. We thus call upon the government to ensure that our public medical facilities are, at the very least, equipped with basic medicines and medical equipment. The majority of Zimbabweans have been pauperised through decades of Zanu PF misrule and rampant corruption and as such, they do not have the financial means to engage private hospital facilities.
The MDC advocates for a public health delivery service in which every Zimbabwean shall have access to effective treatment whenever they are in need. No life should be lost simply because one is too poor to access appropriate health facilities. Going forward, we trust that the government shall put its priorities right by making sure that adequate budgetary support is given to urgently rehabilitate our collapsed national highways as well as ensuring that our public health delivery system is adequately supported and funded by the national treasury.
MDC: Equal Opportunities for All
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson
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