By A Correspondent
Chikomba West Member of Parliament and ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera has sparked controversy following her recent remarks on Zimbabwe’s ongoing health crisis.
While launching what she called the Presidential Emergency Medical Scheme, Mavetera made bold claims that the government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa is fixing the country’s crumbling healthcare system.
“A proud moment for Chikomba West Constituency yesterday on day 1 of the Presidential Emergency Medical Scheme. We got free doctor consultations and medication for our community. Yesterday we were in Wards 5 & 6 Manyene, Marondamashanu, Ward 7 Leleza, Ward 13 Chitsa,” Mavetera said in a statement released Saturday.
She added that over 100 residents were trained in life-saving first aid by Discovery Ambulances and TelOne Zimbabwe. “This program is immediate but our ultimate goal is building more hospitals & fully resourced facilities for lasting care.
In Chikomba West we have 7 health facilities under construction as we speak by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Chikomba Rural District Council,” she claimed.
However, critics argue that these efforts, while welcome on the surface, are more about optics than real change. With Zimbabwe’s public hospitals routinely facing shortages of basic drugs, equipment, and personnel, skepticism remains about whether such mobile and temporary interventions can truly resolve the deeper structural collapse in the health sector.
“This is a distraction, a feel-good campaign meant to portray a false sense of hope to citizens,” said a local community leader who requested anonymity. “Yes, we welcome any form of help, but we are not blind to the timing and the motives behind these giveaways, especially when elections or political visits are near.”
The initiative has also been labeled by some as a form of political bribery, as villagers are reportedly being lured with free medication and training while broader systemic issues remain unresolved.
Despite the controversy, Mavetera expressed her gratitude: “Grateful for this progress,” she said, suggesting the program reflects genuine government commitment.
Yet, for many in rural Zimbabwe, where hospitals remain underfunded and healthcare workers underpaid, such statements may ring hollow.
The question remains whether this is the beginning of a serious transformation—or just another political campaign cloaked in charity.