By Health Correspondent-The government, under fire for its failure to deliver basic health services in public hospitals, is now turning its attention to the private healthcare sector — proposing sweeping reforms that critics say amount to a veiled crackdown.

Through the Medical Services Amendment Bill, government seeks to regulate how much private hospitals can charge, and compel them to admit and stabilise patients in life-threatening conditions for at least 48 hours — even if those patients cannot pay upfront.

Justice, Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi tabled the controversial proposals in Parliament this week, describing them as a necessary alignment of healthcare delivery with Section 76 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to basic and emergency medical care.

The Bill will give the Minister of Health sweeping powers to cap fees and limit increases at private hospitals — effectively placing them under state control. Any attempt to exceed these limits, or raise charges beyond government-sanctioned thresholds, would require written approval from the Minister.

“This Bill, Mr Speaker Sir, is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that every citizen and permanent resident has access to essential health services,” said Ziyambi.

But critics argue that the move is less about protecting patients and more about shifting the burden of a collapsing public healthcare system onto private players. Zimbabwe’s state hospitals have been decimated by decades of underfunding, corruption, drug shortages, and the flight of skilled professionals. Most facilities lack even the most basic medical supplies.

Now, rather than fixing that broken system, government is effectively forcing the private sector to carry the weight — without addressing the root causes of the crisis.

Clause 9 of the Bill proposes that no private hospital may impose fees above a prescribed amount, or increase them by more than a set percentage, unless explicitly authorised by the Minister. This includes removing an existing legal safeguard that exempted previously existing fees from regulation — meaning all fees will now fall under government control.

“This change ensures greater oversight and control over the cost of private healthcare, aiming to protect patients from exorbitant charges,” Ziyambi said.

Another key provision would compel private institutions to provide emergency care to patients in life-threatening situations, regardless of their ability to pay. These patients must be stabilised for no less than 48 hours before they can be discharged or referred.

The government, through the Health Ministry, may enter into cost-recovery agreements with private institutions for such services — though no clear mechanisms have been outlined for how or when this compensation would be provided.

“Perhaps, Mr Speaker, one of the most impactful provisions is the new Section 12(a), which prohibits private health institutions from refusing emergency medical treatment, aligning with Section 76(3) of the Constitution,” said Ziyambi.

The Bill also proposes targeted health interventions for vulnerable groups, including children, people with chronic illnesses, persons with disabilities, and war veterans. It provides for the establishment of a National Consultative Health Forum to enhance citizen participation in health policy-making.

While government claims the reforms are progressive and grounded in constitutional values of human dignity, many observers see them as a desperate attempt to compensate for the collapse of public healthcare — by offloading responsibility onto private institutions, without first addressing state mismanagement, systemic rot, and crumbling infrastructure.