This followed reports that some health institutions in
Harare have adopted hefty pricing for COVID-19 treatment with patients alleging
that they were paying through the nose to be attended to even for mild
conditions.
As admission and treatment for COVID-19 overwhelms public
hospitals which are full to capacity, desperate patients were opting for the
private practice. But the price range is beyond many people’s wallets.
There was a flurry of accusations with patients saying
these facilities were profiteering from the pandemic while owners defended
their pricing regime, saying importing medication and equipment was expensive.
In a post that went viral yesterday, a couple visited an
upmarket private health facility (name supplied) for treatment after the
husband developed COVID-19 symptoms.
“At first, the nurse insisted on us making a decision which
protocol we will be going for before even seeing the doctor. We asked to see
the doctor first and finally we got the consult. After testing positive for
antigen, he was told that there were two treatments being offered, protocol two
and protocol three,” the aggrieved family wrote.
The family was put on protocol two which involved being put
on a nebuliser and jet fuel/drip at a cost of US$475 and US$250 shortfall if on
medical aid. Also under protocol two, one will need to buy a treatment kit
which costs $150.
Thereafter, the patient will need to come in everyday for
five days to be put on the nebuliser and drip. This they said cost $475 per
day, and medical aid does not cover it.
The couple alleged that the centre refused to give them a
prescription for the treatment kit so that they could buy elsewhere and they
claimed they could not disclose what was in the kit.
“I pleaded with the doctor if she could just write a
prescription as hubby has mild symptoms, but apparently they are not allowed to
disclose what is in the prescription kit. What makes it worse is you are not
allowed to pay using RTGS (Zimdollars) as according to them, the pills are
imported,” wrote the wife in her post.
However, after payment, they discovered that the pills in
the treatment kit that cost US$150 included Ivermectin, Omeprazole Prednisone,
Zinc, Aspirin, Colchicine and Doxycycline.
A quick check in local pharmacies revealed that the
prescribed drugs cost about US$25. In most pharmacies, Ivermectin was going for
between $5 and $8 for five tablets, Omeprazole US$2 for 10 tablets and US$3 for
30 Prednisolone tablets. Zinc costs $3 per 10 tablets, Aspirin $1 for 30
tablets, Colchicine $8 for a box and Doxycycline $7.
One pharmacist said one could sopt for the Azithromycin
course which cost $6.
Even where some doctors charge around US$30 as consultation
fee, treatment kit cost US$25 while maximum costs for a house visit is US$50,
the total costs are not anywhere near the extortionate charges at some private
facilities.
But Trauma centre’s Vivek Solanki trashed the allegations,
saying patients were not forced to pay in US dollars as they accept local
currency.
He accused some patients of exaggerating. Solanki said
US$475 included specialist, medicines, physiotherapy and specially-trained
COVID-19 nurses costs, who have to be paid triple wages for risking their lives
treating such patients.
The cost, he said, also included full personal protective
equipment, IV drips and three rounds of nebulisations with Oxygen and
medicines.
“This barely covers the cost of US$475,” Solanki charged. “All
medical equipment including oxygen tanks, critical monitors, nebulisations, IV
lines, medicines, air purification machines and systems are imported at high
cost and we have to pay exorbitant freight costs and taxes and Zimra (Zimbabwe
Revenue Authority) duties on all the above.”
He also said workers had to be paid extra for risking their
lives. Another doctor, who refused to be named, said some of charges by private
facilities were not consistent with what prevailed on the market.
“Some of the charges in private practice are extortionate
to say the least. These acts should be exposed. The treatment pack at most cost
US$25, while we charge US$30 as consultation fee. The maximum is US$50 house
visit,” the medical practitioner said.
Healthcare in Zimbabwe remains one of the most expensive in
the region and most government officials used to be treated overseas. Newsday
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