Zimbabwe: Medical fees hike the "final nail"

The hike in medical fees means healthcare has become unaffordable to most, particularly the most vulnerable. (Photo: UNICEF)

"Because of the constant rise in medical costs and the sorry state of the economy, access to healthcare is becoming a pie in the sky for the poor," Murisi Zwizwai, member of parliament for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, told IRIN. "Healthcare is now almost the preserve of the rich."

The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe, an independent organisation that sets medical costs with the approval of government, recently announced new consultation and laboratory test fees, adding to the financial squeeze that most Zimbabweans feel.

Read the full article