HARARE - Zimbabwe has an adequate pool of resources to allow elimination of user fees for pregnant women, children under five and those over 65 in rural clinics, a government minister has said.

Henry Madzorera, the Health and Child Welfare minister, said government has enforced a policy scrapping user fees, which are the main barrier to access to health for Zimbabwean women and children.

He said 10 women die every day in Zimbabwe as a result of complications during pregnancy.

“User fees are one of the most important barriers preventing Zimbabwean women and children from
accessing healthcare and fulfilling their right to health services,” Madzorera said.

“We have now created an adequate pool of resources that will allow us to eliminate user fees, starting with the clinics in rural areas, which typically suffer the most inequity in terms of access to quality care.”

Madzorera said health workers need to earn a decent living and deserve favourable working conditions, adding that they continued to “serve dedicatedly with minimal remuneration”.