What Parirenyatwa said about the doctors and medical aid societies debacle- Full debate in Parliament

HON. ZIYAMBI: I need a clarification on the issue of ZIMRA and our medical doctors. He spoke about ZIMRA requiring payment on claims that have not been paid and I think it is an issue that can be resolved urgently because under the current economic environment, you cannot expect a doctor who has not been paid to go to the bank to get a loan to pay ZIMRA when he has not been paid.  If it can be addressed quickly, maybe our doctors can work and allow the other issues to be resolved in due course. He did not clarify exactly as to what was the position of the Minister of Finance and Economic Development and ZIMRA in that regard because I think that is an issue that the Executive can take up and make a resolution quickly.

 HON. P.D. SIBANDA: When we do budgets in this august House, normally we prioritise as Members of Parliament health delivery and the education sector. I want to find out whether you are being allocated the monies which you are supposed to be allocated in the Ministry. What do you prioritise on because now, this is affecting or costing the nation?

 HON. HOLDER: I just wanted some clarification from the Minister of Health and Child Care regarding the subscriptions that are contributed by individuals to Medical Aid Societies. For instance, civil servants and Members of Parliament know that Treasury through SSB, deducts medical aid contributions – is the money going to the medical aid companies or not? Secondly, is it true that Parirenyatwa Hospital for sometime was not accepting PSMAS medical aid cards. I just need a clarification on that.

 HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Thank you Excellency, for this opportunity.

THE HON. SPEAKER: Did you say Excellency?

HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Yes.

THE HON. SPEAKER: That title is used in the Middle East and West Africa. The Honourable Speaker is Honourable Speaker.

 HON. DR. MASHAKADA: Mr. Speaker Sir, first I want to thank the Minister for his wise statement. We all know that he is a registered medical practitioner but he has risen above that interest and showed that the statement is really balanced. I want to thank him very much for his balanced statement but I have some clarifications that I am seeking.

The first clarification is that normally when ZIMA and AHFoZ fail to agree on a particular tariff the practice has been that they agree on a temporary co-payment which will be paid by patients over and above the acceptance of the medical aid. In this relation, can the Minister help the two parties to agree on a reasonable co-payment which does not hurt patients in order to break the impasse?

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