Govt seeks to abolish maternity user fees

mortality, Deputy Minister, Thokozani Khupe has said.
She said many pregnant mothers especially in the rural areas were failing to access maternal health care because of prohibitive user fees. It is hoped that when accessibility is increased, more pregnant woman will seek health care.
To this end, if there are any complications they will be detected early and reduce the number of pregnant women dying while giving birth.
DPM Khupe was speaking during the official opening of the Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) annual congress here last Friday. She said no woman should die while giving birth.
“Equality, equality and equality are governments’ commitment to the people of Zimbabwe. Yes, health is a right for all Zimbabweans,” she said.
“It is with this mind that we seek funding to abolish user fees for pregnant mothers. Once again, I declare that no woman should die while giving life. No woman should pay for performing a national duty.”
DPM Khupe said Health and Child Welfare Ministry and some partners were working to find ways of abolishing user fees.
She said as the Goodwill Ambassador of the campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality, the reality that Zimbabwe’s maternal mortality ratio was 725 deaths per 100 000 live births pained her.
“It literally translates to about 2 500 women dying every year while giving life. This means eight women die daily while giving birth. This figure is too high and as Government we need to pour more resources in medical training and retention of the trained personnel,” said DPM Khupe.
The DPM also told the delegates that currently, eight percent of total government expenditure was going towards the health sector as government was prioritising it.
However, she noted that the country had seen an improvement in the health sector over the past two years.
“The improvement in the health sector in particular started the process of reversing the decline of our economy. This to me is an indication that a healthy nation is indeed a prosperous nation.
“I would like to encourage private-public partnerships to invest in medical education, research and development. We can have an educated workforce but if that workforce is unhealthy, we cannot prosper,” she added.
“An appropriately trained, skilled and well motivated workforce is a critical component required for the efficient delivery of the health services. Our health sector workforce needs continuous learning and incentives to boost their morale,” she said.
Professor Jonathan Matenga from the medical school at the University of Zimbabwe, said since independence 5 485 doctors have been trained by the institution.
He said only 1 250 were practicing in the country.
“In spite of the huge number of medical people passing through the medical school, a few still remain in the country and we now have a ratio of eight doctors to 100 000 patients (8:100 000),” he said.
Prof Matenga said in an effort to improve medical education and to recruit and retain medical staff, UZ had received three grants through the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI).
“It is hoped that there will be an improvement in medical education as we will also have visiting lecturers to help the students chosen to undertake training in the programme,” he said.
Over 400 doctors from around the country and across borders are meeting here for the congress. It is running under the theme, “Sustained and enhanced medical education: an investment in quality healthcare”.