Government hospitals castigated for charging exorbitant fees

Government hospitals have been castigated for charging exorbitant fees for surgical procedures, leaving many people flocking to mission hospitals where the same services are cheaper, "The Zbc News" reported.

Government hospitals are charging as high as US$1 200 for a procedure which costs around US$400 in mission hospitals.

As a result, mission hospitals are now congested with people opting to sleep on shop pavements or bus shelters in a bid to access treatment.

People who spoke to Zbc said government must review prices of most surgical procedures in public health institutions to cater for ordinary people.

Some mission hospitals have even resorted to constructing shelters to accommodate people who are coming from far-away places in search of treatment.

While government institutions offer an option of paying in instalments, most surgical procedures are still priced way above an ordinary person’s reach.

In the past, government hospitals came under heavy criticism from people living with HIV and AIDS who spent time on the waiting list due to bureaucracy while their health continued to deteriorate.

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