Corruption within Zimbabwe’s health sector continues to erode the quality, accessibility, and dignity of care especially for young women and girls. From stock-outs of essential medicines to sextortion, discriminatory practices, and informal payments, the consequences are deeply felt at the community level. Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, young women from Bulawayo convened on 14 November 2025 for the Young Women’s Convention on Corruption in the Health Sector, held at the Bulawayo Art Gallery. The convention served as a dynamic space for dialogue, learning, creative expression, and direct engagement with duty bearers. Young women shared candid experiences of navigating health facilities, explored systemic gaps, and co-developed solutions grounded in integrity and accountability.
Corruption in healthcare is often understood in economic or administrative terms, but for young women, its impact is acutely personal. It affects maternal health, sexual and reproductive health rights, access to youth-friendly services, and, ultimately, the right to life. Participants highlighted several recurring concerns:
- Shortages of medication fueling referrals to private facilities at unaffordable costs
- Informal fees and bribery demanded before receiving attention
- Sextortion and other forms of gender-based violence within healthcare spaces
- Stigma and discrimination, especially affecting LGBTQI+ individuals and persons with disabilities
- Unprofessional conduct such as breaches of confidentiality and unfriendly attitudes towards youth
- Illicit diversion of medicines, raising questions about procurement integrity and accountability
These lived experiences formed the backbone of the discussions and shaped the solutions proposed during the event. The convention opened with an Integrity Wall, where participants reflected on what integrity meant in the context of community health. Their responses emphasized honesty, transparency, accountability, fairness, and the courage to do what is right even without supervision.
This collective reflection positioned integrity not as a distant institutional principle but as a shared community value and personal response. A multi-stakeholder panel brought together representatives from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Ministry of Health and Child Care, Bulawayo City Council, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). This interactive session allowed young women to ask direct questions related to:
- Transparency in procurement and distribution of medicines
- Disability inclusion and gender-sensitive health services
- Handling of fake doctors and illicit drug sales
- Accountability for corruption and sextortion
- Mechanisms for whistleblowing and accessing redress
- Shortages of medicines, funding gaps, and operational constraints
- Policies governing consent for key populations
The panelists acknowledged systemic gaps particularly budget constraints, lack of inclusive training, weak accountability systems, and complex reporting pathways. They also highlighted ongoing institutional efforts, including the establishment of integrity committees, decentralization of ZACC offices, and construction of new maternity clinics. However, young women emphasized that accessibility, enforcement, and responsiveness remain major concerns.
Youth For Innovation Trust 