Government to act upon health fees
Medical aid societies, pharmacies and private doctors charging in US dollars have been warned by the government that it might soon be forced to gazette health fees in response to the current health situation in the country with patients failing to afford health care services.
Patients are suffering as health care providers are charging in USD making it difficult for many patients to afford fees for consultations and treatment because many people still earn salaries in RTGS.
The minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Obadiah Moyo told health care providers that people are now unable to pay for medical assistance due to the present unaffordable options for treatment.
In a speech read on his behalf during the official opening of the 2019 Associations of Health Care Funders of Zimbabwe Conference in Bulawayo by United Bulawayo Hospitals, Chief Executive officer Mrs. Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, Dr. Moyo says
“We may soon consider gazetting fees for service provider groups because we can’t continue to watch people suffer as health care operations are now being charged in foreign currency”, he said
He further added that his ministry will work closely with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to discuss possible solutions regarding the USD pricing system that is being followed by these health care providers.
“My office will be calling for a joint advisory council meeting to make arrangements on workable position so that I will not have to resort to gazetting fees due to lack of agreeable tariff”, Said Dr Moyo.
The minister stated that there is a need for urgent suitable solutions to ease patient suffering and loss of life as there have been shortages of medicine, inadequate mitigation of environmental pollution, hygienic infrastructure and low standard quality.
