dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
The Health Professions Authority has urged the public to go to registered healthcare facilities for the provision of quality medical services and avoid putting their lives in danger at backyard facilities.
In an interview at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show which ends today in Harare, the authority’s public relations manager Ms Tariro Manamike said they were concerned with the health of the public.
“As HPA, we are responsible for regulating all health institutions and health professionals in the country and we are encouraging our people to go to registered healthcare facilities,” she said.
“We seek to promote high standards of healthcare delivery system in Zimbabwe and how we do this is through the regulation and coordination of activities of all health professionals, health profession councils and healthcare institutions in an ethical, efficient and professional manner.
“We have what is known as the Patients’ Charter which is a document that enshrines the rights of the patient when they go to health institutions.
“As we move about as HPA governed by the Health Professions Act, it requires that HPA conducts inspections of all health institutions throughout the country and as we are conducting these inspections, this is when we are approving or closing down health institutions that do not meet the minimum requirements. As our inspectors are moving around across the country we are looking at registration and inspections of the hospitals as well as renewal processes.”
Ms Manamike said they have a health inspection manual which is available on the HPA website.
She said as HPA they also acted in the interest of the public, especially by overseeing the activities of the councils to ensure that public issues were addressed.
“We are here for the public and if anyone goes to any health institution and they are disgruntled they can come to us and we will be able to investigate that matter,” said Ms Manamike.
“We have the responsibility of addressing and investigating all matters that will be addressed to us.
“We also refer to the National Development Strategy which talks about health and the well-being of the nation as a whole. We encourage the public to go to registered health facilities to ensure that they are catered for. We discourage the use of backyard institutions that purport to be health facilities.”
Online Reporter