adminAlthough he could not immediately give details on the new consultation fees for specialist doctors, Zimbabwe Medical Doctors Association president Dr Enock Tatira said they agreed on most of the fee increases for specialist services.
“General practitioners have been charging US$20 for the past three years and we feel it is high time we review the tariff upwards,” Dr Tatira said.
He said they failed to agree on the proposed US$50 consultation fee- a development he described as sabotage by the societies since they were also running clinics.
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Dr Tatira said they agreed on the specialist tariffs because they did not have an option since they did not offer such services at their clinics.
“General practitioners are gatekeepers to the medical field and our services are relative to the specialists’ services,” Dr Tatira said. “We had proposed to increase tariffs to US$50 a visit but the medical societies refused.”
The latest stalemate, said Dr Tatira, would take them to the next joint advisory council (JAC) meeting on May 3 where the chairperson is expected to solve the impasse.
The JAC is made up of various players in the medical industry including doctors and representatives of the medical aid societies.
Health and Child Welfare deputy Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora is the chairperson for the council.
Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe chief executive Mrs Shylet Sanyanga could neither confirm nor deny the new developments saying they were yet to debrief the JAC.
Online Reporter