Private healthcare under threat after minister orders freeze on fees

By Tererai Karimakwenda
31 March 2006

Private hospitals and clinics have for years now been considered the only decent form of healthcare left in the country. Experts say government run public institutions have collapsed and are providing poor quality healthcare service. Under these circumstances Health Minister Doctor David Parirenyatwa’s recent move to block a proposed 50% fee increase by the private sector has been criticised as a diversionary tactic.
Private sector health officials attended a meeting in Harare Wednesday at which Parirenyatwa ordered a freeze on fee hikes and set up a new committee to investigate the issues. Dr Douglas Gwatidzo, chairman of The Association of Zimbabwean Doctors for Human Rights, told us Minister Parirenyatwa’s order is an indirect admission that government healthcare is failing. He was also concerned that doctors who provide free services to the disadvantaged would have to stop or cut back if their resources were affected by the freeze.

Dr Gwatidzo said he was not at the meeting with Parirenyatwa and could not give details of what happened there. But he received a message on his phone from the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZMA) confirming the freeze order. The ZMA represents private practitioners in Zimbabwe. Asked whether they would comply with the minister’s order Dr Gwatidzo said they had been caught unaware by this development. They have not met yet to discuss the way forward and therefore there is no general consensus on the issue.
A consultation with a private doctor costs Z$5 million. Being admitted to a private hospital will set you back Z$60 million. Parirenyatwa believes these fees are too high compared to government hospitals which charge Z$10 000 for a consultation. But health experts say the quality of healthcare is vastly inferior at government hospitals. Most have no basic supplies and are under-staffed. Dr. Gwatidzo said Parirenyatwa should focus on resuscitating the public institutions because the majority of Zimbabweans have no choice but to use them. The private sector argues that increases are necessary due to Zimbabwe’s huge inflation rate which is affecting their costs.

Meanwhile ZimOnline reports that cases of tuberculosis (TB) are on the increase in Zimbabwe. The story quotes a senior health official, who is not authorised to speak to the Press, saying most of the country's provinces have run out of drugs used in the treatment of TB. According to ZimOnline the health official said, “The country has run out of ethambutal, one of the four drugs used in the treatment of TB. So most patients are currently taking incomplete treatment.” Experts now fear that a strain of TB might develop that is resistant to the drugs available if patients do not complete their prescribed course.