Zimbabwe to Improve Health Sector

Zimbabwe to improve health sector

HARARE, March 24 (Xinhua) The Zimbabwean government is looking into ways of improving operations of all health institutions in the country in the face of the deterioration in services and management of some hospitals and clinics which are now failing to provide an efficient service to patients due to a number of challenges.

Health and Child Welfare minister, David Parirenyatwa said on Thursday a number of health institutions are currently failing to provide the most basic services to patients owing to poor management and shortage of resources.

He said the government was working hard towards making all health institutions properly managed by assigning professional administrators rather than medical doctors to run the hospitals.

Parirenyatwa said hospital managers should be innovative in finding ways of recovering money owed to them by patients and Medical AID Societies and other government departments.

Parirenyatwa said the government was aware that due to low charges, patients are flocking to public hospitals which are supposed to cater for complicated referred cases only.

He however expressed concern at the increase in the price of drugs, specialist and general doctors’ consultation fees as well as hospital and maternity fees at city health clinics and the private sector saying government is planning to regulate this for the benefit of the public.

Harare Central hospital and Chinhoyi District hospital are said to be the hardest hit health institutions in terms of non availability of essential drugs, food, laboratory equipment, obsolete lifts, unreliable laundry machines and broken down toilets.

Health experts said it is essential for the private sector to play an active role in finding a lasting solution to the challenges facing the health sector.