Source: ‘Patients before profit’ Minister warns health cartels – herald Robin Muchetu Health and Gender Editor PATIENTS are paying the price for corruption and the misuse of public health resources, with Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora warning that Government will not tolerate practices that exploit patients for private gain. The minister warned […] The post ‘Patients before profit’ Minister warns health cartels appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation .
Source: ‘Patients before profit’ Minister warns health cartels – herald
Robin Muchetu Health and Gender Editor
PATIENTS are paying the price for corruption and the misuse of public health resources, with Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora warning that Government will not tolerate practices that exploit patients for private gain.
The minister warned that Government will not tolerate practices that exploit patients, including the diversion of medicines, unauthorised private work and referrals designed to benefit private businesses at the expense of public healthcare.
Dr Mombeshora made the remarks while officially opening the 2026 Ministry of Health and Child Care Review and Strategic Planning Meeting in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
“I also want to speak frankly about something that is sometimes uncomfortable to discuss – our working culture. We cannot build a world class health system with a culture that tolerates indiscipline.
“There are some reports and concerns about failure to report for duty, inappropriate conduct towards patients, diversion of patients, unauthorised private work, misuse of public infrastructure and equipment for private benefit, and, in some cases, withholding or delaying services in ways that facilitate corruption,” said Dr Mombeshora.
The minister said the actions of a minority within the sector were compromising service delivery and eroding public confidence in health institutions.
“The walls have ears and trees have eyes, don’t think that you are doing things and we are not seeing it. Let this be a warning. I do not like to see people suffering; at times we give you warnings so that you correct yourselves and we move together,” said the minister.
He specifically condemned reports that patients were being misled into believing certain medicines were unavailable at public hospitals before being directed to private pharmacies.
“If we still have those practices of lying to patients that the hospitals do not have paracetamol, yet it is there so that you direct people to your pharmacies, stop it forthwith. We always say our patients come first and let that be, we cannot make life hard for our patients only to enrich ourselves.”
Dr Mombeshora acknowledged that health professionals are allowed to engage in authorised and regulated private practice, but stressed that public service and private interests must remain separate.
“But there must be a clear separation between public service and private interest. Public facilities are public assets. Public equipment is public equipment. Public medicines are public resources, and a patient who comes to a public health institution must never be treated as an opportunity for personal enrichment.
“Our principle is: ‘Duty before personal interest. Patient before profit. Public resources for public service’. We must restore a culture where professionalism, accountability and service are the norm, not the exception,” he said.
The minister also revisited concerns previously raised by President Mnangagwa over alleged cartels operating within the health sector, saying the issue could no longer be ignored.
“We must take that message seriously. We know that the cartels exist, from the reception where a person starts off, throughout the consultation process, diagnostics, we know people are being referred to private laboratories and private diagnostics centres and radiology services, that is a cartel. We cannot have a system like that, where there is manipulation of procurement, referrals, supplies, patients, services or opportunities for private benefit that is unacceptable.”
Dr Mombeshora said Government was committed to protecting patients through stronger oversight, tighter controls and greater accountability across the health sector.
He said procurement systems, referral processes, asset management and internal controls needed to be strengthened to ensure public resources were used for their intended purpose.
“We must strengthen our internal controls, procurement systems, referral mechanisms, asset management and accountability structures. Where credible allegations arise, they must be investigated and where wrongdoing is established, appropriate action must follow. There must be no sacred cows. We should not allow the actions of a few individuals to undermine the reputation of thousands of health workers who serve the public with commitment and integrity,” he said.
The minister also addressed flexible working arrangements, commonly known as flexing, saying any such system must be carefully regulated to ensure patient care is not compromised.
“We recognise that, in certain circumstances, staff may make arrangements to re-organise their working pattern. For example, by working longer hours per shift, over fewer working days, while maintaining the required number of working hours per week.
“The last approved ‘flexing’ was during the COVID era. Such arrangements may have practical benefits, particularly where they help institutions manage staffing constraints and maintain continuity of services. However, these arrangements must be properly structured, authorised and consistently applied.
“Flexing must not result in reduced service availability, unsafe staffing levels or fatigue that compromises patient care. We, therefore, need one clear framework across the Ministry. If there is any change to the current arrangements, the Permanent Secretary will issue a clear policy and operational guideline so that everyone understands what is permitted and what is not,” he said.
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