adminIT is distressing that almost a couple of months after the scrapping of maternity fees at Government and council hospitals and clinics, confusion continues to reign over the issue.
We recently implored Government to act as a matter of urgency and deal with the matter, which has hamstrung operations at State and council hospitals and clinics. Some hospitals say they are losing on average US$2 000 a day because of the new policy while clinics are losing between US$6 000 and US$10 000 per month.
This money was obviously helping the clinics and hospitals provide their services. The hospitals and clinics need money for everyday essentials such as food and other perishables that help the patients that the new policy on maternity is meant to benefit.
But if the policy is now crippling operations at health institutions we believe there is need for a re-think and clarity on the matter.
Otherwise the good intention by Government will not be realised.
The problem with offering a service for free is that even those who can afford to pay on their own will also be queueing up to receive the freebies.
Congestion is now a common thing at these health institutions because expecting mothers are flooding the hospitals and clinics following the implementation of the directive to scrap the maternity fees. Those mothers who were opting to use traditional midwives and giving birth at home are swarming the Government hospitals and council clinics seeking maternity services because they are now free.
This has led to the stretching of resources at these health institutions, compromising the service the expecting mothers are getting. There are reports that the hospitals and clinics are failing to cope resulting in some expecting mothers sleeping on floors and benches. A funding gap has been created because the hospitals and clinics cannot replenish their medical and food supplies because Government, which is supposed to pay them after providing free maternity services, is not doing so.
Councils have called on Government to avail more funding to public health institutions to enable them to continue offering maternity services in the wake of the decision to scrap maternity fees.
The calls by the local authorities should be given the due attention they deserve lest we create a health crisis.
There are fears that local authorities and Government hospitals will soon fail to offer maternity services unless Government cushions them.
Government recently scrapped the maternity fees at public health institutions in a bid to make maternity services accessible to more women, including the poor.
The move was precipitated by an outcry over the higher user fees. But it looks like the noble idea is causing chaos at health institutions.
Government should move with haste to release the US$10 million Treasury claims was allocated to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to cushion the health institutions that are losing revenue following the scrapping of the maternity fees.
The chairman of the Urban Councils’ Association of Zimbabwe Alderman Femius Chakabuda said council-run clinics were struggling to provide maternity and general health services due to under- funding.
“We have always said that any user fees we charge are meant to cover the costs of providing the service. The user fees are not meant to generate income for councils but enable councils to continue providing a particular service,” said Ald Chakabuda, who is the Mayor of Masvingo.
Councils are now being forced to divert resources meant for other programmes to health, which is unfortunate.
It is therefore pertinent for the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare’s high level meeting under way in Mutare to come up with a solution to the maternity issue.
Online Reporter