Zimbabwe Speaker says Parliament cannot debate issues raised on social media

HON. HWENDE: Hon. Speaker Sir, the Minister must concentrate on responding not denigrating citizens on social media because even Parliament itself has already raised these concerns. I remember the Hon. Vice President when he was Minister of Health, invited Parliament to tour hospitals. So it is not people on social media.  He must just concentrate on responding to the legitimate issues that people are raising. I thank you.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Thank you Hon. Hwende. Why do you not allow the Minister to proceed and if he has not concentrated on the response to the question, then we can ask supplementary questions?

HON. DR. KWIDINI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. I was on the way to say the complaints were coming from social media.  No actual person has come to the Ministry to complain directly to the Minister.  Nevertheless, as we speak and as I said, the Ministry has improved a lot in terms of service delivery. As we speak, from the first 100 days of the first quarter of 2025, we managed to change some hospital equipment in the sixty-three districts; that is x-ray machine, theatre beds and so forth.  We are working on other equipment which will be installed in the shortest period.

In terms of medicines and other sundries, the Ministry has tried a lot, working hand in hand with the Ministry of Finance to make sure all these things are now available but we know that in Zimbabwe we do not produce or manufacture most of the drugs and sundries. So, when we place orders, they are sourced out of the country. They take three to six months for them to be supplied but I assure this House that in the shortest period of time, we will see improvements because everything is now well known that our social media is almost attacking the Ministry of Health especially on issues of visitors, not the beneficiaries of the treatment like the patients. I can assure you Hon. Speaker, that if people move around and ask the patients themselves who are receiving treatment, they are very happy with the service which they are receiving. I thank you.

HON. MATEWU: Mr. Speaker, we need to remind the Hon. Minister that social media is born out of our citizens who have lived experiences, including us as well. We know what is in these hospitals. My supplementary question to the Hon. Minister is that there is growing inequality. Most people who cannot access quality health services are those who cannot afford. So, the societal differences are born out of poverty for most people who go to our hospitals and are told that you have to go and buy a bandage, you have to go and get this medicine, they cannot afford it. So, what is the Ministry doing to ensure that there is quality healthcare even to those who are less fortunate and cannot afford the exorbitant fees and who are asked to go and buy their own medicines in our hospitals and clinics? I know from experience, people in my constituencies who come to me every time and tell me, we have been asked to go and buy bandages from the pharmacies. What are you doing to ensure that those people who cannot afford get quality healthcare from the Government, from the point of delivery? Thank you.

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