Concern over high HIV user fees

31 Dec, 2021 - 00:12 0 Views
Concern over high HIV user fees Mr Mutiwi

The ManicaPost

Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent

PEOPLE living with HIV in Mutare District have expressed concern over the high user fees being charged at council clinics, resulting in many people failing to access primary health care by not collecting their antiretroviral drugs re-supplies.

Mutare City Council clinics charge US$4 as user fees for each collection of the ARVS, while mission hospitals like St Joseph’s Mission Hospital in Chikanga charges $40 for the same service.
Collection is done every three months.

The bulk of HIV+ patients in the city are forced to use council clinics because of proximity to their residential areas.

Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) provincial coordinator for Manicaland, Mr Moses Chananuka said the high rates were some of the major challenges hindering the elimination of HIV and Aids by 2030.

“We are supposed to achieve the 95/95 goals, but there are some barriers like access to health services particularly in Mutare District that are limiting our patients. Council clinics are charging US$4 for ART resupplies’ collection which is actually a barrier to most HIV+ patients as they cannot afford that money,” he said.

He said while the user fees might seem low to some, they are quite high to most families.

“Some families have seven or more people on ART, and if everyone has to pay the collection fees, that means they have to part with US$28.

“If the breadwinner is a pensioner, they cannot afford the user fees.This means that this whole family will default,” he said.
He said ZNNP+ was lobbying Government to support council clinics for them to reduce their fees.

“We know that Mutare City Council as a local authority is independent in its health interventions, so we are appealing to Government to chip in and assist because the council claims that the money they are charging goes towards administrative costs,” he said.

Mutare City Council’s public relations officer, Mr Spren Mutiwi said: “These are justifiable considering that recipients are given three to six months supplies of each medicine when they pay the $4.”

However, Mr Mutiwi said Mutare City Council has not received any formal complaints from patients and if there were any, the local authority was ready to engage the stakeholders.

“We have an open door policy, and we listen to everyone’s concerns. We have not received any complaints from patients concerning user charges associated with collection of ART medication. At our health institutions, patients are free to pay using any flexible payment of their choice which could be swipe, Ecocash, cash at prevailing Government rate or US$,” said Mr Mutiwi.

 

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