The World Health Organisation (WHO) has rescinded its appointment of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador.
In a statement on Sunday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had reflected on his appointment of Mugabe as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Non-Communicable Diseases in Africa.
“I have listened carefully to all who have expressed their concerns and heard the different issues that they have raised. As a result, I have decided to rescind the appointment. I have also consulted with the government of Zimbabwe and we have concluded that this decision is in the best interests of the WHO,” he said.
Ghebreyesus said he remained firmly committed to working with all countries and their leaders “to ensure that everyone has access to the healthcare they need”.
“We must build bridges that bring us together and help us move forward in our quest to achieve universal health coverage. I thank everyone who has voiced their concerns and shared their thoughts,” he said.
The WHO head had previously praised Zimbabwe for its commitment to public health. It is a country which has seen its health and economic systems collapse under Mugabe’s leadership.
Following condemnation from world leaders, the WHO was forced to rescind Mugabe’s appointment.
In Zimbabwe, medicines are often in short supply, while the elite – Mugabe included – have to fly to other countries to access better health facilities. Over the years, health-workers have petitioned the government to improve their working conditions and salaries.
Doctors in the country have also been at loggerheads with their employers, going on strike several times after accusing the government of failing to meet their concerns. The doctors accused the Health and Childcare Ministry of a “lipstick approach” to their issues, saying the health sector was “pregnant with a multitude of problems emanating from gross negligence and lack of will to implement logical decisions”.
Junior doctors want the government to review upwards on-call allowances to a minimum of $720 for the lowest-paid doctor from the current $288.
Presenting 2017 $4 billion national budget last December, former Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa allocated $282 million to the health sector, down from the previous year’s $331 million.
The Abuja Declaration states that governments should allocate a 15% vote to the health system, and Zimbabwe is a signatory to the declaration.
– African News Agency
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