CHITUNGWIZA Central Hospital management last Thursday met representatives of the Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (Chitrest) and assured them that the privatisation of some of the hospital’s critical services would not lead to a spike in costs.
PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI SENIOR REPORTER
The meeting, which was attended by the hospital’s chief executive officer Obadiah Moyo, followed residents’ fears that the privatisation programme would push the cost of health services beyond the reach of many.
“This meeting was called at the behest of the hospital management after Chitrest had raised concern on the effects of privatisation of health facilities at the medical institution after critical departments, including radiology, laboratory, pharmacy and mortuary, had been surrendered to partner institutions,” Chitrest programmes director Marvellous Kumalo said.
Moyo assured the residents that as a government hospital, they were going to ensure that their services remained accessible and affordable.
“Our focus as a government hospital is on volume and quality rather than profit margins,” Moyo said.
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“Residents should not panic. The hospital will not commercialise health fees. We have brought in new stakeholders to improve health service delivery and not to make profits. This process that we have engaged on will actually lead to improved health service delivery.”
The health institution’s catchment area includes Mashonaland East province and Chitungwiza urban.