An exploration of how the Third Chimurenga impacted on the national health-care delivery system in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This paper explores how the Third Chimurenga impacted on Zimbabwe‟s health-care system. It begins by highlighting the inequalities endured by Africans in terms of access to quality health care during the colonial period (1890-1979), particularly during the time of the Second Chimurenga (1966-1979). The next section presents an overview of how Zimbabwe made considerable progress in terms of availing public health care to the general public during the first decade after the Second Chimurenga and attainment of political independence (1980- 1990) in a bid to redress the injustices suffered during the colonial era. It then proceeds to chronicle how the fast track land redistribution programme popularly known as the Third Chimurenga/Hondo Yeminda or jambanja (2000-2008) impacted heavily on the country‟s economy which had ripple effects on service delivery and availability of care in the public health sector. The paper argues that the country‟s socioeconomic and political structure has a strong bearing on the health care system. It reiterates that access to health care is critical in the health dimension, particularly under the HIV and AIDS epidemic environment.