Govt sentences patients to death by hiking hospital fees by 1748%

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GOVERNMENT has hiked user fees at public hospitals by 1 748%, prompting analysts to warn of an upsurge in home deaths.

New adult and children consultation fees have been pegged at US$12 and US$6, respectively, which are an equivalent of $3 696 and $1 848 in the local currency using the official exchange of US$1:$308.

Hospital fees were last increased in January 2020, with adults and children respectively paying $200 and $100 in Zimbabwe dollars at the time.

“Reference is made to the hospital user fees circular dated April 19, and the Exchange Control Exclusive Use of Zimbabwe dollar for Domestic Transactions Amendment Regulations, 2020 no 3 (Statutory Instrument 185 of 2020).

“Following the release convergence of the Exchange Control Directive No 3 of 2022, in line with the convergence of the auction exchange rates and the interbank willing-buyer willing-seller exchange rate, you are being advised to implement user fees in line with the current interbank exchange rates,” Health and Child Care ministry secretary Jasper Chimedza wrote in a memo dated June 1, 2022.

Chimedza was not reachable for comment last night.

The memo was addressed to provincial medical directors, medical superintendents and public hospital chief executive officers.

Following the directive, consultation fees for adults are now at US$12 and children US$6. Ward fees for adults are set at US$12, and US$8 for children.

“Ambulance fees per kilometre US$1,60. Intensive/coronary care unit per day — adults now at $US16. Intensive/coronary care unit per day — children now at $US10. Consultation fee is valid for seven days and chronic consultation fees are valid for one month,” a notice to the public hospitals read.

The notice says patients may pay the new fees at the interbank rate, which currently stands at $325 to US$1.

Patients were paying almost half in user fees before the latest increase.

The new user fee hike will hit most Zimbabweans, who have been forced to turn to public hospitals as the pricing at private health facilities is beyond the reach of many.

However, public hospitals have been failing to provide quality services owing to years of underfunding.

Analysts said the increase in user fees would worsen the plight of patients battling to access health care due to prohibitive costs.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo said many people would die at home because they could not afford the fees.

“This is too expensive for civil servants and other ordinary citizens. This will lead to many people dying at home. People will die unnoticed, and people will die with conditions that can be saved if they manage to go to the hospital. It’s an unfortunate scenario,” he said.