Revise health law: MPs

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care has said there is an urgent need to review the Public Health Act to improve access to reproductive health services for children under the age of 18.

Speaking during a tour to assess HIV/Aids intervention programmes in Beitbridge, MPs said it was apparent from the situation on the ground that reproductive health services remained beyond the reach of children under the legal age of majority who are sexually active.

“As parliamentarians we need to ensure that we protect the right to health services for every citizen. There’s a challenge with the current scenario where we’ve children under the age of 18 years who are sexually active and it’s difficult for them to get treatment where guardians are required,” said the committee’s chairperson Dr Ruth Labode.

“Practically it’s difficult for them (minors) to open up to their parents that they need treatment for sexually transmitted diseases or related reproductive issues. In most cases these are being turned away at health institutions when they show up alone. We need to find an amicable way to help such people.”

Dr Labode said commercial sex workers under the age of 18 were also affected by the current public health laws.

The health committee chairperson said there was also need for concerted effort to get people out of sex work especially when economic hardships are deemed to be the motivation.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), projects lawyer Elizabeth Magenje said it was very critical for the government to reform health laws.

“We need a new public law in line with the Constitution which allows the protection of people’s health. The issue of age of consent shouldn’t be applied to issues of public health because we’ve a lot of young people who are failing to get access due to the current public health laws,” she said.