Zimbabwe Health System & Mortality | Profiteering Claims
- HARARE, Zimbabwe — The sudden death of Blessing Mucharambei’s uncle, who collapsed and died while eating lunch, quickly turned into a bureaucratic nightmare.
- A police officer at the hospital offered a solution: a general postmortem, which is faster but still possibly delayed.
- “We couldn’t afford the time,” Mucharambei said,highlighting a grim reality in Zimbabwe’s crumbling healthcare system.
In Zimbabwe, grieving families face extortion for postmortem services, highlighting the devastating impact of corruption on the healthcare system. Underpaid health workers solicit bribes, creating delays and adding immense financial burdens during times of grief. This systemic issue, from delayed postmortems to lack of resources, severely impacts access to crucial medical services. The primary_keyword “Zimbabwe health system” is failing its citizens. The secondary_keyword “mortality” is affected. News Directory 3 reports on the critical need for change. Discover the extent of the crisis and what’s being done to address it.
Bribery Plagues Zimbabwe’s Healthcare System, Delaying postmortems and Exploiting Grieving Families
Updated June 15, 2025
HARARE, Zimbabwe — The sudden death of Blessing Mucharambei’s uncle, who collapsed and died while eating lunch, quickly turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. Chitungwiza Hospital informed the family that a forensic postmortem was required,a standard procedure for unexplained deaths in Zimbabwe. Though, with only five qualified pathologists serving nearly 17 million people, the wait could be lengthy and costly.
A police officer at the hospital offered a solution: a general postmortem, which is faster but still possibly delayed. For US$30, he promised to expedite the process. Desperate to bury their loved one without further delay and expense, the family paid the bribe.
“We couldn’t afford the time,” Mucharambei said,highlighting a grim reality in Zimbabwe’s crumbling healthcare system.
Postmortem bribes are symptomatic of a wider crisis. Zimbabwe’s hospitals are struggling with chronic underfunding, outdated equipment, and a mass exodus of medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.The government estimates that over US$1.6 billion is needed to revive the health sector.
Dr. Norman Matara, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, says that underpaid and overworked health workers are increasingly reliant on informal payments. “People are trying to survive, but over time, corruption becomes part of the culture.”
A 2021 Openness International Zimbabwe study revealed that 74% of over 1,000 respondents had been asked to pay a bribe while accessing healthcare. Nurses at Sally mugabe Central Hospital protested in March, highlighting poor pay and working conditions. The government responded to previous strikes with a law banning health worker strikes longer then 72 hours, punishable by jail time.
Pathology services are particularly affected, with specialists concentrated in major hospitals, creating opportunities for exploitation. Memory, a nurse at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital for nearly 20 years, says that a “fake backlog” is created by police, doctors, and mortuary staff to pressure families into paying bribes, sometimes as high as US$100 to expedite the process or US$50 to skip the postmortem entirely, even when legally required.
Tendai Terrence Mautsi, public relations officer at parirenyatwa Hospital, acknowledges corruption but attributes delays to high demand. He says the hospital has increased forensic postmortem days and partnered with Cuban doctors to address the skills gap.
Tafadzwa Chikumbu, executive director of Transparency International Zimbabwe, says corruption harms those who cannot afford to pay, eroding public trust. He advocates for ethical conduct, fair hiring, and honest service delivery as solutions.
Emily Muchabaiwa’s family experienced this firsthand when her brother died unexpectedly. Instead of a medical professional,a police officer verbally delivered the postmortem results,citing tuberculosis and a cold in the lungs,without providing a written report. Suspicious and lacking clear answers, the family felt forced to bury him quickly. “The postmortem failed us. Corruption failed us,” muchabaiwa said.
What’s next
Zimbabwe faces the challenge of restoring integrity to its healthcare system. Addressing underfunding, improving working conditions for medical professionals, and enforcing ethical conduct are crucial steps toward ensuring fair and transparent access to essential services for all citizens.