Tinotenda Hove

Expectant mothers in rural Zimbabwe are enduring harsh conditions, with many having to sleep on the floor due to a shortage of beds and inadequate water supply in the waiting shelters at government-run hospitals, Members of Parliament (MPs) reported.

In a session of Parliament on Wednesday, MPs highlighted that women staying in maternity waiting homes (MWHs) are forced to cook their own meals and gather water themselves, even as their due dates draw near.

MWHs are meant to accommodate women at high risk during the final stages of pregnancy, providing them with a safe place to stay close to medical facilities that offer crucial obstetric care.

MPs pressed Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Kwidini, about the government’s plans to resolve these challenges.