Online Reporter
Emmanuel Kafe-Check Point Desk
AN unscrupulous network of doctors and nurses at major public hospitals are allegedly pocketing kickbacks for referring patients to private laboratories — some of which they secretly own — forcing already struggling patients to pay more for services that could be accessed cheaply, or even for free, at Government-run diagnostic centres.
An investigation by the Check Point Desk has established that the illicit referral network has taken root in several public hospitals, including Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals, creating a parallel health economy where public servants profit from the suffering of patients.
Several insiders, including junior doctors, lab technicians and administrative staff, confirmed a “referral commission system” in which some medical workers get money or other benefits for sending patients to certain private laboratories for tests such as blood work, X-rays, CT scans and biopsies.
‘The machines are down’
During a visit to Parirenyatwa’s outpatient section, where Check Point reporters posed as relatives of a patient requiring a blood test, a nurse quietly advised: “If you go to the hospital lab, you’ll wait long. Try (name supplied)Diagnostics; they’re fast and reliable.”
Hospital sources say one of the company’s directors is a senior pathologist at the same hospital.
At Sally Mugabe Hospital, several patients shared similar experiences.
“I was told the hospital machine was not working and was referred to a private lab in Belvedere,” said 54-year-old Mrs Ruvimbo Mangena.
“When I got there, the same doctor who attended to me at Sally Mugabe came in wearing a different coat and supervised the test. I had to pay US$45.”
Later, a nurse whispered to her that the hospital machine had been working all along.
A growing side business
Sources within the health sector described the practice as a “silent industry” that has now become part of daily hospital operations.
“There are doctors who are basically running two businesses — public and private — at the same time,” said one senior official at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
“They use Government time and public hospital patients to make private income.”
Shareholders or directors of some of the private laboratories identified during the investigation are also clinicians employed full-time in public hospitals, an arrangement that violates the Public Service Code of Conduct and the Health Professions Act.
The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) said it had received such reports of doctors referring patients to selected laboratories in exchange for commissions.
“The legitimate venepuncture fee recommended by AHFoZ is around US$5 per patient,” said CEO Ms Shylet Sanyanga. “Anything significantly above that, especially if it involves hidden referral commissions, is abuse.”
She said some investigations had unearthed use of expired reagents and unqualified personnel, further harming patients and inflating medical aid claims.
Health experts are now calling for a full investigation into the referral patterns at public hospitals to establish how the system is being exploited and take corrective measures.
Public health specialist Dr Rutendo Chidzambwa said: “This is corruption in the health sector. Every dollar taken through kickbacks harms patients and the public system.”
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals chief medical officer Dr Tsitsi Mildred Magure said they do not allow referrals made for personal gain. She explained that some referrals happen when hospital equipment is down or when reagents run out.
“For example, our CT scan unit has been down for months, and some dialysis services have been affected by reagent shortages,” she said.
“But, we do not allow any referral made for personal gain. Any such behaviour goes against the values of the institution.”
She said the hospital had a code of conduct, patient feedback channels, audit systems and disciplinary procedures to deal with any suspected misconduct.
Regulator breaks silence
The Medical Laboratory and Clinical Scientists Council of Zimbabwe (MLCSCZ) said the practice of referring patients to a lab where one had financial interests was strictly forbidden.
Registrar and chief executive officer Mr Newten Handireketi said such conduct was both unethical and illegal.
“This is a clear conflict of interest. It puts personal gain ahead of patient welfare,” he said.
Although the council has not received formal complaints naming specific individuals, he urged whistleblowers to report cases. If proven, offenders can face penalties including suspension, fines or removal from the professional register.
Patients carry the burden
For many patients, the financial pressure is heavy.
“I earn US$150 a month, but paid US$80 for tests that should have cost me nothing,” said Tendai Gondo, a security guard.
“When I complained, the nurse said, ‘It’s your choice,’ but I knew it wasn’t really a choice.”
Public health expert Professor Johannes Marisa described the practice as “economic sabotage”.
“It drains the very system that doctors are supposed to build,” he said. “Poor patients end up paying private rates for tests they are entitled to at public institutions.”
A survey at Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe hospitals showed a sudden rise in private diagnostic centres, many located just outside the hospitals’ gates.
Medical ethics expert Dr Wellington Tigere said such a setup created a clear conflict of interest.
“You cannot work in a public hospital and also profit from sending patients to your own private facility,” he said. “It destroys trust.”
Desperation and weak oversight
Some nurses said they were being driven by the desire to earn more.
“If a private lab gives you US$10 per patient, it’s tempting,” one nurse said.
A junior doctor said the problem had become normalised.
“Even with better salaries, some people will still chase extra money because there’s no strict oversight,” he said.
As Zimbabwe works to fix its healthcare system, the growing referral scam threatens to push more citizens into debt and weaken trust in public hospitals.
For many, like Mrs Moyo, the hurt is emotional as well as financial.
“I don’t mind paying if it’s necessary,” she said. “But it hurts to know I’m paying because someone wants a cut.”
