ZADHR welcomes new constitution

While celebrating the dawn of a new era in Zimbabwe following the passing of a new constitution, ZADHR is particularly buoyed by the fact that the new governance charter guarantees the right to health and the right to food and water a combination that is intrinsically linked. This is positive in light of enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for all Zimbabwean as citizens can seek remedies through the court of law for violations of the right to health.

During the constitution making process ZADHR actively engaged communities at community meetings, its membership and fellow health professionals at health institutions throughout the country to participate and ensure that their voices are heard and use the limited space created by this process to influence inclusion of adequate guarantee of all human rights, which are universal, interdependent and inalienable.

It is evident that human rights cannot and should not be divided and cannot be realized independently of each other. Chapter 4 Section 76 and 77 of the new Constitution expressly stipulates that; 76 Right to health care (1) Every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to have access to basic health-care services, including reproductive health-care services.

(2) Every person living with a chronic illness has the right to have access to basic health-care services for the illness. (3) No person may be refused emergency medical treatment in any health-care institution. (4) The State must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights set out in this section.

77 Right to food and water Every person has the right to— (a) safe, clean and potable water; and (b) sufficient food; and the State must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right.

In this light, ZADHR looks forward to the full implementation of the charter. ZADHR exists recognizing the position of doctors and other health professionals as frontline witnesses of progress in achievement of the right to health, and recognizing the power of the voices of health care workers to influence policy and its implementation.