HARARE, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday appointed his Vice President, General Constantino Chiwenga as new Minister of Health and Child Care.
Vice President, General Constantino Chiwenga |
Chiwenga takes over former minister Obadiah
Moyo whom was fired by Mnangagwa last month over corruption allegations.
This means Chiwenga will double as Vice
President and Health Minister.
Misheck Sibanda, the Chief Secretary to the President
and cabinet, confirmed the appointment of Chiwenga in a statement.
Sibanda said Chiwenga’s appointment was with
immediate effect.
“In making this decision, His Excellency the
President has noted the urgent need to stabilize, restructure and reform the
national health delivery system to better cope with challenges of the global
COVID-19 pandemic, and in the process, ensuring a quick turnaround in national
health care,” Sibanda said.
Chiwenga takes charge of a ministry currently
bedevilled by challenges including the ongoing strike by doctors and nurses
demanding better pay, as well as shortage of equipment and drugs amid a spike
in COVID-19 infections in the country.
The number of COVID-19 deaths in Zimbabwe has
risen to 80 as of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases also
surged to 4,075 after 154 cases, all local infections, were reported.
The Zimbabwe opposition party, MDC said in appointing
Chiwenga, Mnangagwa had shown a "gross display of incompetence."
Chiwenga spent four months in China receiving medical treatment for an unknown illness until November last year. He has returned three times since then for medical check-ups, according to government officials. - Africa
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