Progress Muzuva, a dedicated nurse from Bikita District, is facing unimaginable hardship after sustaining severe injuries while on duty in 2018. The now-bedridden health worker has spent the last seven years in pain, financial distress, and what she describes as betrayal by the very system she served.
Her ordeal began in August 2018, when she accompanied a maternity patient on a referral trip to a mission hospital. According to Muzuva, the patient became violent during the journey, assaulting both her and the ambulance driver. Although they completed the trip, Muzuva says she began experiencing intense pain and swelling in her left leg the following morning. An X-ray confirmed a fracture. What started as a leg injury soon escalated. She began to feel pain in her spine, ribs, and hands—symptoms that led to her becoming bedridden.
Muzuva says that instead of receiving urgent medical attention or compensation for an injury sustained in the line of duty, she was subjected to delays and neglect. Her injury was initially categorized as ordinary sick leave rather than a work-related injury, which significantly affected the support she was entitled to. She made multiple requests for transportation to hospital appointments and referral letters to specialists, but those requests were reportedly ignored by the district authorities.
By December 2019, after pushing through the system for over a year, Muzuva underwent her first spinal surgery, partially funded by herself. Unfortunately, it did not yield the expected results. In January 2023, she had to undergo a second spinal surgery. To date, she remains confined to her bed, unable to walk or return to work. Her family has since accumulated a medical debt of about US$11,200. She is now appealing to the public for support to help cover her medical bills and physiotherapy, which she desperately needs.
The story took another turn in early 2021 when the Ministry of Health attempted to retire her without her knowledge or consent. Later, she was informed she had already been retired as of January 2022, and in mid-2024, she was allegedly pressured to sign retirement papers dated two years prior.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZiNA) has condemned the government’s handling of Muzuva’s case. ZiNA president Enock Dongo described her treatment as “inhumane” and pointed out that many nurses who suffer injuries in the line of duty often face the same neglect. “Most of these nurses receive no support, no treatment, no compensation. Many are left to suffer silently in their homes,” Dongo said. He also highlighted the urgent need for policy reforms that protect healthcare workers.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has since acknowledged Muzuva’s situation, stating that her case is under review and that legal and human resources departments are assessing her eligibility for any missed benefits. In a statement, the Ministry said, “No one injured in the line of duty should feel abandoned,” and assured the public that appropriate action would be taken once investigations are complete.
Muzuva’s situation sheds light on the broader challenges faced by health workers in Zimbabwe. Underfunded and often overlooked, many nurses and frontline workers operate in difficult and dangerous conditions with little assurance that they will be protected or compensated if something goes wrong.
As her family struggles to keep up with her care, Muzuva is still holding on to hope. She dreams of walking again and continuing her life outside the confines of a bed. Her case has stirred widespread sympathy and outrage among citizens, raising deeper questions about the state’s commitment to those who risk their health and safety for the well-being of others.
This story is based on reporting by NewZimbabwe.com, Bulawayo24, and The Observer Zim.
