Zim government in U-turn on medical equipment procurement info

Zimbabwe's government has made a U-turn on its decision to no longer be compelled to publicly disclose information relating to its procurement of medicines, as well as medical and construction equipment.

According to a gazette, “Special Procurements in the Public Interest — Health Sector”, the government has listed biomedical equipment, vehicles, including ambulances, laboratory equipment, chemicals and hospital protective equipment as “of national interest”, meaning details of their disposal and procurement shall not be made known to the public.

The decision outraged opposition and critics, who said the move was a violation of the right to freedom of information and lacked in transparency.

On Wednesday, the office of president and cabinet reversed the gazette, ordering the withdrawal of the notice banning the disclosure of health equipment procurement, saying it was an unauthorised publication that had not been signed.

“President Dr ED Mnangagwa, has been made aware of some document gazetted as general notice 635 of 2023, purporting to place the procurement of certain goods outside public scrutiny, on grounds of 'national interest',” the president's office said.

“Upon further investigations, it has come to light that the so-called government gazetted notice is a nullity, having been published without authorisation and without the signature of the chief secretary to the president and cabinet, as is the norm.

“While further investigations are under way, government wishes to advise the public that, on the instruction of his excellency the president, the document in question has been rescinded as it has no standing in law, in policy and in terms of set government procedures. It thus should be disregarded.”

Zimbabwe’s public healthcare sector has been dogged by allegations of procurement corruption, fraud and shortages of essential medicines. In 2021 government procurement activities came under scrutiny and fraud was detected within the health ministry.

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the ban on the disclosing of procurement of health equipment was unconstitutional.

“Following public outrage over the unconstitutional government notice published yesterday that places health supplies procurement outside the realm of public disclosure, government now says the notice is a nullity,” said Mahere.

“We will be raising our collective voices against this unconstitutional administrative conduct. We must continue to challenge unconstitutional government conduct wherever it arises. Our right to do so is protected by section 67 of the constitution.”

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