By A Correspondent
Harare – April 15, 2025
A Zimbabwean social media user, Lovemore Makanda, has drawn fresh attention to the country’s ailing healthcare system, blaming government neglect for the preventable deaths of both prominent figures and ordinary citizens alike.
In a strongly-worded post shared on Monday, Makanda accused the government of gross incompetence and called out systemic failures that have repeatedly cost lives — particularly in emergency medical situations.
“Ginimbi died before emergency rescue could help him,” Makanda wrote, referring to the tragic passing of flamboyant businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure in a road accident in 2020. He added that, despite being a high-profile figure, Ginimbi could not be saved due to the absence of a swift and effective emergency response.
Makanda didn’t stop there. He listed other prominent Zimbabweans whose deaths he believes were worsened or caused by a collapsed health system.
“Zororo Makamba had direct line to the President but the health system failed him,” he said, referencing the late journalist and broadcaster who died from COVID-19 complications in 2020, amid reports of inadequate medical care at Wilkins Hospital.
Another heartbreaking example he cited was that of popular gospel artist Garry Mapanzure: “Garry Mapunzure died because he couldn’t be airlifted from Masvingo to Harare for op.” Mapunzure passed away after a car accident, and many believe the delay in critical care contributed to his death.
Makanda also mentioned musician Tatenda Pinjisi, lamenting that he “couldn’t even get painkillers before he sadly died same as my young brother.”
The emotional post concluded with a haunting observation: “If all this happened to prominent people, imagine what is happening to the ordinary folks in hospitals!”
Makanda’s remarks have since sparked renewed public discourse on social media about the dire state of public hospitals, chronic understaffing, lack of emergency services, and underinvestment in healthcare infrastructure.
As frustrations mount, many Zimbabweans continue to demand urgent reforms, insisting that access to life-saving medical care should not be a privilege but a basic right — regardless of social status.