Uproar over medical consultation fees hiking

People's representatives Sunday said the increase in medical consultation fees by government were unjustified and should be reversed as the new fees were inaccessible, considering the prevailing hard economic conditions.

The Government Gazette on Friday published a notice by the Health and Child Care minister, David Parirenyatwa, which said that the new fees were now effective, with all initial consultation going up by 100%.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary general Japhet Moyo told The Zimbabwe Mail Sunday that the move was not good for ordinary Zimbabweans.

"It has become typical in this country to wake up and  find prices having gone up without people knowing where this is coming from. We are yet to hear the basis of this, but obviously things will be tough for everyone.

"Salaries of many workers have not been increased for too long and some do not get their salaries at all, so, no matter what justification they will provide, medical access will remain a challenge because the money is not available," he said.

The notice in the Government Gazette showed that consultation fees at a general practitioner's room will now be $35, up from $20 while subsequent consultation at the rooms for the same illness has doubled from $15 to $30.

In addition, initial consultations at physicians and pediatricians are now pegged at  $100 while subsequent visits are now set at $70. Subsequent consultation at a hospital or nursing home per day is now $40, up from $20.

The notice also revealed that consultation fees have gone up to $60 for weekend visits and $70 for night visits. Expecting mothers will pay $35 for the initial antenatal visit, with subsequent visits and post-natal visits attracting $30.

Many people have described the move by government  as "disruptive" as it will not only see a hike in consultation fees but also witness an  imminent hike in contribution fees to medical aid societies and other health insurance providers.

Zimbabwe Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) board chairperson Philip Bvumbe said with the announcement made on Friday, consumers had been taken by surprise by government.

"The government has made us feel insignificant by going to finalise matters that affect us with no consultations. We feel that this matter should be reverted for us to have our input into the matter," he said.

Bvumbe said only the privileged in society could afford the new fees, with the rest being left to die because of failure to access medication.

Harare Residents' Trust representative Josia Mafora rebuked government for issuing conflicting policies.

"How can the government pass that directive when we are expecting the fees to go down? Most Zimbabweans earn below the poverty datum line, and imagine what will now happen to a Harare teacher who earns $310? Will he or she survive on only $200 for food, accommodation, transport and medication itself when consultation alone costs $100?" he said.

Despite the fact that maternity fees and operation theatre charges were reduced, services for the majority of people still remained high.

According to the notice, maternity fees for private hospitals were reduced to $126 for a normal delivery in Category A institutions, down from around $750, with those in Category B paying $96.

Theatre charges were also slashed to $181 from the more than $750 charged by most institutions, a move which Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives (Zicom) described as "a good step".

"We understand the economic challenges facing government and that any other hospital cannot run with no or limited funds. However, we still look forward to government's promise that any pregnant woman should have access to free service," said Lillian Dodzo president of  Zicom.