adminNqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
MEDICAL practitioners have implored President Robert Mugabe to overhaul the Ministry of Health and Child Care as part of measures to clear the rot and alleged corruption in the Ministry.
Doctors said Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa and the Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji should be relieved of their duties.
Dr Parirenyatwa came under fire last week after it emerged that he received $100,000 capitation from ailing Premier Service Medical Aid Society for his private firm, CHEST. Capitation is money received by a medical doctor prior to offering any service to patients.
The Minister’s firm received the advance money at a time when other doctors are owed thousands of dollars for services rendered.
This has irked thousands of PSMAS members who have not received medical care even after making payments.
In May this year, Dr Gwinji was caught up in a storm after nurses alleged that the permanent secretary and 493 other high ranking officials in the Ministry were pocketing $403 in on call and night duty allowances while nurses were getting $3 per month.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association spokesperson Francis Rwodzi yesterday said a complete overhaul is needed in the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Rwodzi claimed that except for Minister Parirenyatwa, no medical doctor has received pre-payment for a service yet to be rendered. He said firing Dr Parirenyatwa alone would not solve problems in the Health Ministry, hence calls to overhaul the Ministry.
“It’s been long since we heard that a doctor receives capitation. Capitation is when a doctor is being paid prior to offering health care to a patient. Most doctors are owed monies amounting to thousands for a service they’ve offered. We’ve been receiving calls from doctors across the country asking how one person can receive over $100,000 while they haven’t been paid,” said Rwodzi.
“We call on the President to overhaul the Ministry. The Minister, permanent secretary and the Health Services Board have all been fingered in scandals and corruption activities. Therefore, there is a need for wholesome changes in the Ministry.”
He accused senior government officials of contributing to the falling standards in public institutions.
“This problem needs a holistic approach. Right now if you go to any public hospital you’ll be ordered to buy hospital consumables. Who owns those pharmacies where patients are sent to buy drugs? These are the same people who own the pharmacies,” Rwodzi said.
He said doctors across the country were shocked to learn that the Minister was doubling as a practitioner while serving in the government as well.
“He is playing two conflicting roles. He registered as a general practitioner while working as a government Minister. This results in conflict of interest. Any transaction he makes will always cause suspicion,” he said.
Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association (ZNA) president Regina Smith said it was not fair for Dr Parirenyatwa to be receiving funds while PSMAS members were failing to access medication. “People shouldn’t be denied access to health. If he is found guilty, rules and regulations have to be followed,” said Smith.
Last Friday, the Zimbabwe Medical Association’s secretary general, Dr Shingi Bopoto, said some medical practitioners have not received even a cent for services they had already rendered.
Dr Bopoto said it was puzzling how an organisation failing to pay its members was able to pay a large sum to an individual.
Online Reporter