Rural Nurse’s Receipts Contradict Ministry’s Statement on State Care
MASVINGO — The Ministry of Health and Child Care is facing renewed scrutiny after fresh evidence revealed that Progress Muzuva, a rural nurse injured in the line of duty, continues to struggle without the support the government claims to have provided.
Muzuva, who sustained spinal and leg fractures in 2018 while delivering a baby during a violent ambulance transfer, says she has been left to fend for herself despite official statements suggesting she receives full State care.
Her case, which went viral after she shared her ordeal on social media, has sparked public outrage and exposed deep cracks in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.
“They said I was getting free treatment, but I paid for my consultation and X-rays just a day before their statement. I’ve been surviving on US$93 a month, and my retirement package is still unresolved,” Muzuva said.
The Ministry’s August 8, 2025 press release claimed Muzuva was granted Government patient status in January 2020, entitling her to free treatment at public hospitals.
But receipts and medical records presented to Truth Diggers, the investigative unit of Alpha Media Holdings, show she paid US$29 for services at Masvingo General Hospital on August 7 — just one day before the statement was issued.
“This status may exist on paper, but in reality, I’ve been paying my own bills and denied access to senior officials who could help,” Muzuva said.
NewsDay reported that Muzuva had approached the Health Minister’s office but was turned away without an audience. She says she has repeatedly knocked on government doors, only to be met with silence or indifference.
Despite her suffering, Muzuva has refused compensation from the family of Elizabeth Dunira, the woman who injured her during childbirth.
Dunira’s relatives, from Kufakunesu village in Bikita district, offered two beasts as a gesture of goodwill, but Muzuva declined.
“I couldn’t accept their offer. They’re poor, and I was doing national service. I delivered that baby with joy, even under attack,” she said.
Augustine Gondo, Dunira’s father-in-law, expressed deep regret over the incident.
“If I had the means, I would have helped her recover. Every time I see my granddaughter, I remember the nurse and the pain she endured,” he said.
Dunira herself has apologized, saying she was not in control of her actions during the traumatic birth. “I feel deeply sorry. It was as if evil spirits took over. I never meant to hurt her,” she said.
Muzuva’s courage in the ambulance — refusing to abandon a violent patient in labor and successfully delivering the baby under extreme conditions has drawn praise from across the country.
Yet her continued neglect by the health system she served has raised serious questions about accountability and transparency.
“If I had been allowed to name the baby, I would have called her Minana. She was born under miraculous circumstances. I just don’t understand why God hasn’t come to my time of need,” Muzuva said.