A new Bill before Zimbabwe’s Parliament aims to provide healthcare for everyone in the country, forcing even private hospitals to fall in line, but as in South Africa, it is still unclear how the system will be financed, reports BusinessLIVE.
The Medical Services Amendment Bill gives the state authority to regulate medical costs, provide emergency care – and punish parents or guardians who prevent children from receiving critical medical care.
Speaking during the second reading of the Bill, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said it aligns with constitutional guarantees of access to health for all, including permanent residents.
The Bill requires every institution, either at the state’s expense or the patient’s cost, to provide treatment to people under arrest, detention or imprisonment on the same terms as other patients, and he said this was a key step in protecting the dignity and rights of all, whatever their circumstances.
One of the most important changes in the law stops private hospitals from refusing emergency treatment, Ziyambi adding that the provision requires private facilities to stabilise patients with life-threatening conditions for at least 48 hours, even if they cannot pay. It also allows the Minister to make agreements with private hospitals to recover costs.
Experts say the law is good, as long as it addresses financing.
Amos Marume, principal of the Harare Institute of Public Health, said the policy would be effective only if it were supported by long-term funding. “It should be combined with national health insurance or other government-sponsored funds. This will secure reimbursement for private healthcare providers, which is critical to their long-term profitability and sustainability,” he said.
Justice Chinhema, general secretary of the Zimbabwe Diamond & Allied Minerals Workers’ Union, called it a positive step towards improving access to medical care, and that compelling private hospitals to admit patients with life-threatening conditions promotes fairness.
However, he too cautioned that the reform’s success would depend on credible funding, clear criteria and strong oversight to prevent costs from being shifted to patients.
“The real test will be regulation and enforcement,” Chinhema added. “While investment, including from foreign sources, is important for the health sector, what truly matters is the enforcement of standards. Health policies and laws must be strengthened to stop facilities from prioritising profit over quality, standardised care.”
Inadequate public funding for healthcare has resulted in a poorly managed and ineffective system that relies on external funding from global organisations and agencies. A desperate lack of resources and a shortage of qualified personnel are also challenges.
Along with the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, the country still faces serious health risks like HIV, TB and malaria, which has stoked widespread public anxiety and demands for immediate change and greater government involvement.
BusinessLIVE article – Zimbabwe plans its own NHI (Restricted access)
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