th delivery system has been described by Zimbabwe Health Minister David Parirenyatwa as having ‘collapsed’.
Before the government imposed price slash by 50 percent, private surgeries were charging Z$1 200 000 (about R200) in consultation fees and were ordered to reduce the fees to Z$600 000, a move the medical doctors say is unviable and have decided to shut down their surgeries, for now.
An employee at one surgery said: “We have been instructed to return and to only report for work after further notice, but for now we are shut.”
Eunice Bvudzijena of Morningside in Mutare said she did not know what to do next as she had to take her sick six month old son for a medical.
“I do not know what to do now. The public hospitals do not have the equipment for the check up on my child,” said Bvudzijena. – CAJ News
24.8.2007
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Lives at risk as surgeries close in price control protest (24-08-07)
MUTARE – Lives are at risk as private medical practitioners this week refused to open for business owing to demands from price control officials that they reduce consultation fees by half.
Government medical institutions in the country have run out of essential drugs and the public heal