Bulawayo to align medicine prices with market rates

The Bulawayo City Council is set to revise its medicine tariff schedule after concerns were raised that the current pricing structure does not reflect prevailing market conditions.

According to a report presented by the council's health services director, Edwin Mzingwane Sibanda, council had resolved in June 2025 to adjust medicine charges in line with market prices. However, this resolution was not included in the 2026 tariff schedule, prompting the need for realignment.

Sibanda explained that the current system groups medicines into broad categories with uniform pricing, which leads to distortions because individual drugs within the same category often have different market values. As a result, some medicines are overcharged while others are undercharged.

To address this, council is proposing a new approach that breaks down grouped medicines into individual items, each priced according to its specific market value. This is expected to improve fairness, accuracy, and transparency in billing, ensuring that residents pay prices that better reflect actual costs.

The council has recommended reaffirming the June 2025 resolution and incorporating it into the 2026 tariff schedule to correct the inconsistencies. Officials say the changes will also help align council services with broader economic realities.

Currently, the council's tariffs for drugs and related services are largely denominated in US dollars, with non-Zimbabwean patients paying higher fees. Existing charges include set prices for family planning services, contraceptives, and various laboratory tests, with some services provided free where donor funding is available.

The proposed adjustments are expected to modernise the pricing system, improve efficiency, and ensure equitable access to essential medicines while maintaining financial sustainability for council health services.