By A Correspondent

Facing a deepening healthcare crisis, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is urgently seeking support from Belarus to revive the country’s failing medical infrastructure.

During an official visit to Minsk, President Mnangagwa met with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, to discuss enhanced bilateral cooperation, with healthcare emerging as a top priority.

Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana outlined the goals of the partnership, highlighting four key areas of assistance. According to Mangwana:

– Revamping Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare to meet global standards will be a priority. Mangwana stated, “We are looking to revamp Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare by upgrading infrastructure and equipment to meet global standards.”

• Securing access to affordable, high-quality pharmaceuticals from Belarus is another goal. Mangwana noted, “This cooperation will help improve pharmaceutical acquisition, using Belarus as a source for quality and affordable drugs.”
• Upgrading provincial and district hospitals across the country will improve service delivery. Mangwana said, “We plan to upgrade provincial and district hospitals across the country to improve service delivery.”
• Exploring joint ventures to manufacture medicines locally will reduce dependency on imports and cut costs. Mangwana confirmed, “We are actively exploring joint venture agreements for local pharmaceutical production.”

Zimbabwe’s health sector has long struggled with chronic underfunding, outdated equipment, drug shortages, and poor service delivery.

The outreach to Belarus underscores the urgency of the situation, as the Mnangagwa government seeks external support to avert a full-scale collapse of the public health system.