Zimbabweans have only themselves to blame for the high cost of treatment

Zimbabweans have only themselves to blame for the high cost of treatment in the country because they have trashed the United States dollar and are against the reintroduction of their own currency because this will supposedly spur hyperinflation.

But some medical aid societies have seen the light and are now sending some of their patients to India to save costs.

This should be an awakening call to Zimbabweans and the medical fraternity that things are not well in the country because a simple Google search shows that the cheapest round trip from Harare to New Dehli costs $682.

This is more than what most Zimbabweans earn per month but medical aid societies found that it was still cheaper to get treatment in India after paying this amount.

Zimbabweans are used to such high costs that when I wrote last year that I had seen a doctor for only 60 US cents (which was 1 000 Tanzanian shillings and the same price one paid for a packet of fresh chips) some said I had seen a fake doctor, yet this was a doctor who worked at the island’s biggest hospital but I had seen him at his private surgery.

Doctors who work for the government are allowed to open dispensaries and make their money from selling medicines rather than from diagnosing patients.

Reacting to the story by The Insider, one reader wrote: “Hakuna doctor akadaro. This sounds like he is a phd holder like the one they buy from the street corner.”

Another wrote: “ U must be in more trouble after seeing that doctor…so help u God.”

But one reader, who had been to Tanzania, concurred that that was real Tanzania.

Another chipped in the reality in Zimbabwe by saying: “ku Zim chete ndiko kwakadakwa zvinhu”

But another reader did not agree, writing: “kkkkk Zim chete,try tht in Angola,ndipo paunowona kuti Zim itori bhoo pane zvese”.

Confirming that costs in Zimbabwe are too high, another reader wrote: “Wait til u go kuWestend an they tel u to pay$250.00{Yes American}cash upfront before a doctor can atend to u.(ths is despite u having medical aid).”

To sum it up, another reader gave her Malaysian experience: “Yep can believe it… Had to have an emergency op in Malaysia whilst on a trip, the specialist (surgeon), anaethestist, scan, blood tests, plus 3 days in hospital came up to $150-00 plus they gave me all my meds. I was in a general ward, excellent care (had I known it would cost so little would have gone "private"..). So I can believe it…. I had a c-section in Zim a whopping $2 500,00 later… A friend from the UK travelling with his preggi wife freaked out when he heard how much we pay….”

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