ZADHR said that about 3,000 women a month were giving birth in public hospitals in Harare, with between 250 and 300 needing lifesaving caesarean sections.58 The closure of the maternity hospitals will result in many poor women being denied emergency treatment,59 and may further contribute to the already rising maternal mortality rates. Private hospitals charge for their services in foreign currency, pricing out most Zimbabweans. The authorities have treated health workers protesting the decline in Zimbabwe’s health system harshly. On November 18, heavily armed riot police prevented a group of health workers from petitioning the Minister of Health and Child Welfare. The workers were demanding that the government restore accessible and affordable healthcare. Police initially forced the health workers to protest within the grounds of Parirenyatwa Hospital, but after four hours the police entered the hospital grounds and forcibly dispersed the workers, assaulting several.60 Official Restrictions on the Operations of Humanitarian Agencies The work of local and international humanitarian organizations has been hampered by a difficult economic environment and political interference in their operations. Relations between humanitarian agencies and ZANU-PF have been poor for several years. The latter has repeatedly accused NGOs in Zimbabwe, including humanitarian organizations, of supporting the MDC and working with western donors to overthrow the government. According to the UN’s 2009 Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for Zimbabwe, violence and government restrictions have prevented humanitarian activities. The CAP document stated: A protracted election period, from March through August, essentially put the country on hold for six months, during which time election violence and government restrictions halted most humanitarian field activities. Half a year of critical humanitarian service delivery in support of food security, clean water, health, and education services was lost, and the impact of this is likely to continue into 2009.61 Such political interference has not only stifled the operations of humanitarian organizations, it has significantly worsened the humanitarian situation itself and compounded the suffering 58 Ibid. 59 Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, “Pregnant Women in Grave Danger,” November 20, 2008. 60 Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights “Collapsed Health System Violating Health Rights,” November 19, 2008. 61 UN Consolidated Appeal Process for Zimbabwe 2009, http://ochaonline.un.org/AppealsFunding/CAP2009/tabid/5120/language/en-US/Default.aspx (accessed January 12, 2009). Crisis without Limits 20