ON August 20, 2017, the government of Zimbabwe gave a nod to relax advertising regulations for the medical sector as part of efforts to raise awareness on locally available health services.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister Professor Mtuli Ncube proposed a quick amendment of the Health Professions Act during his budget statement in November 2024.
What baffles us is that no action has been taken to effect the proposals under this new world order characterised by digitalisation, advanced technological development and the social media that has become the loudest trumpet the world over.
The country cannot boost medical tourism when one can be labelled a malefactor for merely advertising services that are available in the country.
Zimbabwe can now do aesthetic medicine, heart surgeries, huge neurosurgical operations, among other complicated surgeries.
We are capable of doing the best for our patients, but a lot of people perceive the country as ill-equipped to perform even the smallest of surgeries.
Zimbabwe has a very strict advertising policy governing health service providers, which makes it difficult for them to use the media to propagate information on what they have on offer.
Proponents of advertising ban were then of the view that medicine should not be commercialised while equal opportunities and a fair playing field for all doctors were created so that the medical profession could not look like a business.
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The world is dynamic, thus remaining rigid is detrimental to economic development.
Doctors look woebegone when they are suspected or presumed to have advertised as they face intolerable charges and punishment from their respective regulatory authorities, a move which is retrogressive for the country that many prophets of doom think has nothing good medically to offer.
There is a wide range of medical services offered in Zimbabwe, alas, patients assume such advanced medical procedures are not done in the country.
Zimbabwe sees at least 20 000 patients flocking to other countries for medical treatment with the country forking out approximately US$4 billion, a figure huge enough to build at least 100 good hospitals at US$40 million each.
Advertising of medical services should, indeed, not include touting for patients, use of testimonials from patients, direct or suggested comparison of services.
It is undeniable that section 135 of the Health Professions Act should be amended quickly as well as section 4 of Statutory Instrument 41 of 2004, which are hindrances to medical advertising.
The Health and Child Care ministry should expedite the process as the amendment is crafted by the ministry before being gazetted.
Questions still linger in my mind as to why it has taken eight good years to make just a few amendments to the Act despite several promises made by the relevant authorities.
Who is sleeping on duty as office-bearers come and go?
Failure to urgently amend the said Acts is causing unnecessary acrimony between service providers and respective regulatory bodies like the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe.
In many cases, precious time is wasted in courts of law, which should be invested in patient care merely because of loose and medieval laws that should not have space in the modern world.
It is dereliction of duty on the part of the Health and Child Care ministry to sit on such an important task that has potential to boost the national economy through medical tourism.
The permanent secretary is the custodian of the Health ministry and it is our prayer that he acts expeditiously to implement what Ncube proposed during his fiscal policy statement presentation.
- Johannes Marisa is a medical practitioner who is the current president of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe.
