Mpilo Hospital to unleash more debt collectors

CASH-STRAPPED Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo is yet again unleashing ruthless debt collectors to recover several millions of dollars owed by patients.

The health institution is inviting law firms offering debt collection services to submit bids for the exercise.

"Tenders are invited from legal firms with debt collection services to collect amounts owed by the hospital clientele," read a notice sent out on Thursday.

The notice indicate that successful debt collectors are to charge the debtors an administration fee of up to 20% of the owed amount which he/she will retain as payment on remitting the collected owed amount.

The debt collectors would report directly to the Finance Director and declare all cash collected to the hospital and the cash should be in US dollars only.

It is not clear how many debt collectors are needed for the task.

Authorities say failure by patients to settle debts has further financially burdened the hospital crippling operations.

Efforts to recover all the money have suffered a major drawback as the beleaguered institution is reportedly failing to locate patients who used wrong addresses as proof of residence.

It is understood that sometime in 2008, patients who failed to pay hospital fees were asked to make payment plans and bring water or electricity bills as proof of residence.