Those who remain must navigate a crumbling health care system -- and the moral, physical and mental costs that come with it.
At five months pregnant with her second child, Vimbai started bleeding. She suspected a miscarriage and rushed to a public clinic for help. The attending midwife didn't examine her, says Vimbai, who chose to use her middle name for fear of stigma."The only thing they did was me cotton wool."
They confirmed she was having a miscarriage, put her on intravenous therapy along with some injections and he cleaned her womb, she says. Overall, the experience was friendlier, and the midwife followed up afterward.Zimbabwe's health care system has been crumbling under the strain of years of economic and political instability, which started in the late 1990s. Health worker salaries have not been spared by inflation and currency challenges.
"I do charge for rendering that service," she says. The cost ranges from 10 United States dollars or more per week, depending on what patients can afford. In comparison, the clinic where she works charges 1 dollar a day for minor services such as wound dressing. But Gladys says her fees are typically lower than the overall costs a patient would incur, including transportation. Other times, she says she doesn't charge if she sees that the person cannot afford to pay.
Rueben Akili is a program officer with the Combined Harare Residents Association, an organization that advocates for the rights of residents. He confirms health care workers are operating illegal clinics in various high-density suburbs of Harare. While extra work means more money, Gladys is always exhausted. She ends up working about 53 hours per week, well above the recommended 45 hours for health care workers.
Gama says the Harare City Council has been recruiting more health workers. He did not provide any figures.
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