Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka
FOR *Mrs Ellen Moyo, the cold corridors of a local public hospital do not represent a place of healing.
Instead, they serve as the backdrop of a traumatic ordeal she describes as a “living nightmare.”
What began as a desperate search for medical assistance for her husband quickly spiralled into a harrowing journey through a system seemingly designed to bleed patients dry rather than provide care.
After her husband was admitted into hospital, Mrs Moyo was abruptly informed that the hospital could not perform basic diagnostic procedures.
Instead, she was handed a slip and directed to specific private laboratories for blood work and X-rays — services that are available at the Government institution for free or at a subsidised cost.
“It was a living nightmare. My husband was in pain, yet instead of treatment, we were treated like a business opportunity,” Mrs Moyo lamented.
“Every turn led to a new demand for money at a private lab they insisted we use. We felt helpless, watching our life savings disappear just to get basic results that the hospital should have provided.”
Investigations by this publication have established that Mrs Moyo’s ordeal is not an isolated case.
Public health officials are allegedly creating a “parallel health economy”, where they are reportedly profiting from the suffering of patients through illicit and unethical practices.
An investigation into an unscrupulous network of medical professionals, lab technicians, and administrative staff has also confirmed the existence of a referral commission system.
Under this scheme, medical workers pocket kickbacks for sending patients to specific private laboratories for tests such as CT scans and biopsies.
Shockingly, some of these private facilities are secretly owned by the very staff making the referrals, forcing struggling patients to pay exorbitant fees for services that should be accessible cheaply or for free at Government-run diagnostic centres.
*Mrs Violet Sibanda detailed how the system is rigged against the poor through blatant extortion.
“They didn’t just refer me elsewhere, they demanded a bribe just to ensure my files moved from one desk to another.
“It is a system of ‘pay or perish’ where they prioritise those who can afford the kickbacks,” she said.
The corruption extends beyond treatment to the very entry point of the profession.
For decades, top hospital officials have allegedly been demanding bribes from prospective nurses to secure training places.
Further investigations established that the “price” for a nursing spot now ranges between US$700 and US$1 200.
One prospective student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described a system of total betrayal.
“I sacrificed everything to raise the US$900 they demanded, thinking my future was secure. But even after paying, I was told the ‘slot’ had been given to someone else who paid more.
“They told me the money had already been distributed among the recruiters and administrators, so I couldn’t even get a refund.
“It is a heartless system where merit means nothing,” she lamented.
An administrative staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, revealed that this culture had become the norm.
“It has reached a point where nobody hides it anymore. It is like a standard operating procedure; when a patient walks in, the first thought for some is not how to treat them, but which private lab will pay the best commission for their referral,” the staffer said.
Insiders revealed that the corruption networks are so closely knit and deeply entrenched that they have become almost impenetrable.
This “blue wall of silence”, protected by a complex web of patronage and shared illicit profits, makes it exceptionally difficult for investigators to gather enough evidence to break the chain.
The depth of the crisis was further exposed following a recent tip-off from the Barbourfields community, leading Mpilo Central Hospital to recover a consignment of dumped drugs at a nearby shopping centre — a discovery that has prompted the institution to strengthen measures against the theft of medicines, food, and equipment.
The hospital has since implemented “stop and search” protocols for staff and visitors, which have already led to the recovery of various items stolen by employees.
Acting Director of Operations, Mr Phineas Sithole, confirmed the discovery and stated that security has been significantly tightened to protect the facility’s resources.
“There have been medication thefts, as evidenced by this discovery. It sets us back in our efforts to ensure that supplies are available within the hospital,” Mr Sithole explained.
In a noble move to address these systemic failures, President Mnangagwa took a proactive approach in June last year through unannounced visits to major public hospitals.
His decision to witness first-hand the dire conditions plaguing these facilities was widely commended as a vital step towards meaningful healthcare reform.
By bypassing official protocols and conducting unannounced inspections, the President sent a clear signal that the status quo of negligence and lack of accountability will no longer be tolerated.
His visit was described by stakeholders as a major turning point, providing the necessary political will to overhaul the management of the nation’s referral centres.
This renewed focus on the health sector recently took centre stage at a multi-stakeholder interface meeting in Bulawayo, where participants deliberated on the path towards sustainable recovery.
Hosted by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), the indaba brought together health officials, residents, and community representatives under the theme: “Addressing Corruption and Discrimination in Health Service Delivery.”
Speaking at the event, TIZ senior researcher Mr Dakarayi Matanga noted that the primary forms of corruption crippling the sector include procurement malpractices, the theft of medicines for the “grey market”, bribery and the growing menace of false referrals.
“Health is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution, yet corruption severely compromises the Government’s ability to safeguard this right. In the health sector, the impact of corruption is often the difference between life and death,” Mr Matanga said.
He emphasised that mainstreaming anti-corruption and integrity frameworks into health delivery is the only way to reverse these negative trends.
Detailing the findings of TIZ’s Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) on the medicines supply chain, Mr Matanga highlighted critical vulnerabilities in how suppliers are evaluated and contracted.
“Our research reveals significant risks of collusion and kickbacks, especially in instances of direct procurement.
“Furthermore, there is a lack of porous safeguarding at facility level, where the falsification of documents allows some health workers to divert stocks and sell them privately,” he added.
The human cost of this systemic failure was highlighted by a participant identified only as Ms Dube, who shared a harrowing account of maternal neglect.
She recounted how she was denied basic care at a local hospital while in active labour because she could not afford an under-the-table “facilitation fee.”
Ms Dube alleged that nursing staff explicitly told her priority was reserved for those who “appreciated” their services with cash.
She claimed midwives looked on with indifference as she writhed in agony, refusing to intervene because she had failed to line their pockets.
In response to these harrowing accounts, the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Deputy Director for Quality Assurance, Mr Wilbert Pomerai, emphasised that the Government is leveraging digitalisation to stem the rot.
“While we have not previously reported our daily operations to the public, these testimonies serve as a vital educational tool.
“Combating corruption is a complex challenge, and it is critical that we inform the public about the strategies we have implemented to prevent it.
“As a cornerstone of our anti-corruption efforts, we have successfully established Integrity Committees within our hospitals.
“We are also leveraging digitalisation to reduce the prevalence of corruption. Once a digital record is created, it cannot be easily altered or displaced,” Mr Pomerai said.
He added that “Quality Movement Teams” have been established at major hospitals to handle daily operational grievances.
“We are moving away from our past weakness of not being precise in our communication.
“Starting this year, we will be ‘live and raw’ — tweeting our progress and sharing unedited interviews with patients.”
Despite these efforts, public confidence remains low.
Addressing concerns regarding the frequency of corruption reports within the health sector, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) spokesperson Commissioner Kindness Paradza noted a decrease in reported cases but urged the public to continue coming forward.
“The Commission received 13 reports of suspected corruption cases in 2025 compared to 42 reports received in 2024,” Commissioner Paradza said.
Addressing the “big fish” concerns, he added: “The Commission is not selective in the arrests.
“We have arrested accounting officers for hospitals and senior Government officials before. We will continue to make these arrests without fear or favour.”
Investigations have established that the fear of victimisation remains one of the most significant hurdles in the fight against corruption within the health sector.
While “Integrity Committees” have been established in hospitals as a primary internal layer of defence, Commissioner Paradza revealed that more robust legal protections are on the horizon to further safeguard those who speak out.
To protect those speaking out, Commissioner Paradza said the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Bill was approved by the Cabinet in November last year.
“Until it becomes law, we encourage whistleblowers not to expose themselves by revealing to colleagues that they have reported cases to law enforcement.
“We also encourage whistleblowers facing victimisation to lodge a complaint directly with Zacc,” he advised.
The harrowing testimonies of victims like Mrs Moyo and Ms Dube serve as a stark reminder that when corruption infects the health sector, it carries a lethal price tag.
While the introduction of digital records, Integrity Committees, and upcoming whistleblower legislation offer a glimmer of hope, the road to recovery requires more than just policy, it demands a total dismantling of the “blue wall of silence” that protects illicit syndicates.
Only by moving from a culture of “pay or perish” to one of transparent public service can Zimbabwe ensure that its hospitals once again become sanctuaries of healing rather than marketplaces of extortion.
Names were changed to protect the victims’ identities.
