HEALTH and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora has urged healthcare practitioners, particularly private medical facilities, to prioritise saving patients’ lives before demanding payment for treatment.
In a speech read on his behalf by Manicaland provincial medical director Munyaradzi Mukuzunga at the Private Healthcare Association of Zimbabwe annual general meeting in Nyanga, Mombeshora said government policy is guided by the Constitution, which places a premium on the protection of life.
“In emergency situations where life is at risk, the first duty of the healthcare system is to save life and stabilise the patient,” he said.
Mombeshora said issues relating to payment and reimbursement should only be addressed after emergency treatment has been administered.
“No citizen should be denied life-saving care because of an inability to pay at the point of need,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing criticism of some private healthcare providers accused of demanding payment guarantees before attending to critically ill patients requiring urgent medical intervention.
However, Mombeshora acknowledged that healthcare delivery requires substantial financial resources and that private healthcare providers cannot be expected to shoulder unsustainable financial burdens indefinitely.
“We are, therefore, engaging stakeholders to develop practical mechanisms that will ensure constitutional obligations are met while maintaining the viability of healthcare institutions,” he said.
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The minister also revealed that the government is developing a National Health Provision Programme aimed at establishing a sustainable healthcare financing model.
“The objective is to create a more equitable and sustainable financing mechanism that expands access to healthcare, reduces out-of-pocket expenditure and accelerates our progress towards Universal Health Coverage,” Mombeshora said.
He said the proposed programme is expected to strengthen Zimbabwe’s healthcare system by ensuring that both patients and healthcare providers are adequately protected while improving access to quality medical services across the country.
