By Ziyah News Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Timios Kwidini, has sparked widespread criticism after dismissing concerns about the state of the country’s healthcare system.
His comments came amid mounting public outrage over poor hospital conditions and service delivery.
The controversy was ignited when Youth Empowerment Minister Tino Machakaire publicly criticized the deteriorating state of public hospitals, accusing the government of neglecting critical issues affecting citizens’ health.
His candid remarks received widespread attention and sparked heated discussions across social media platforms.
However, during a parliamentary Question and Answer session on Wednesday, 7 May, Deputy Minister Kwidini dismissed the criticism. He claimed that online complaints were exaggerated and insisted that the Ministry of Health had made significant progress since 2018.
“On the part of the social media, indeed, people on social media always talk about what is not happening in the Ministry, but as the Ministry, we are doing wonders since 2018, to make sure the citizens receive quality care,” Kwidini stated.
He went further to assert that “Real Patients Are Not Complaining,” suggesting that the dissatisfaction is limited to online chatter rather than actual hospital experiences.
“What we are doing is only known by the patients, not the social media participants. As we speak right now, Mr. Speaker Sir, our citizens are very happy with the service delivery that we are giving,” he added.
Kwidini’s comments have triggered a wave of discontent among Zimbabweans, many of whom took to social media to express their disbelief and frustration. Critics argue that the minister’s statements ignore the reality faced by many patients.
“This is a slap in the face to every sick person struggling in hospitals. How can he say no one is complaining when we see the conditions every day?” one commented.
“His claim that patients are happy is completely false. Many of us have lost loved ones due to neglect and poor facilities.”