The Government of Zimbabwe has officially ruled out providing medical assistance to its citizens living abroad, including thousands residing in neighbouring South Africa, citing limited financial resources.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi made the declaration in Parliament last week while responding to concerns raised by Mbizo Member of Parliament Corban Madzivanyika (CCC).
The MP had asked whether the government would step in to assist Zimbabweans in the diaspora, particularly those facing growing restrictions in accessing public healthcare services in South Africa.
Minister Ziyambi was firm in his response, stating that the Zimbabwean government is already struggling to provide adequate healthcare to its citizens at home and cannot afford to take on the medical needs of those living outside the country.
“Our focus right now is on developing a National Health Insurance scheme for Zimbabweans within the country,” said Ziyambi. “Charity begins at home.”
He added that providing support to citizens who migrated voluntarily is not a current priority.
“If people go abroad to work, the Minister of Finance, as he will be presenting his budget, says we have remittances from the diaspora of such and such amount,” said Ziyambi. “He is not simply saying the funds are directed to the Government’s coffers.
What he is simply saying is that the foreign currency that is being brought in is for foreign direct supply.”
Ziyambi further explained that while diaspora remittances are important to the economy, they are not government-controlled funds and cannot be diverted to fund healthcare services for Zimbabweans abroad.
“Whenever we will be doing the exchange rate, we ensure that we can buy goods from abroad,” he said, underscoring the role of remittances in supporting imports, not public services.
His remarks come amid rising tension in South Africa, where foreign nationals — including Zimbabweans — are increasingly being turned away from public hospitals and pressured to seek care from private institutions, which many cannot afford.
Source: Zimeye
