General description of the Health Care Situation
There are a wide range of health facilities in Zimbabwe from General Practioners (GPs) and specialists to public and private hospitals and clinics. Facilities are clean and modern practices are used.
Medication can be sourced from pharmacies that are found across the country. Ambulance services are available for emergencies, but a cash deposit is required before receiving the services, the balance of which is to be paid within a week from the time of receiving services. All hospitals have ambulances and an emergency team on standby.
An alternative source for some Zimbabweans is to seek medical treatment from Local Traditional Healers via ZINATHA. Many traditional healers are willing to incorporate professional standards. Traditional Healers condemn using a razor blade or a single razor blade on many patients. They attend workshops and trainings organized by the Ministry of Health on how to offer better services to their patients including having standard measurements for their medicines to avoid overdosing.
Visitors arriving from Yellow-fever infected areas are required to present a vaccination certificate at the port of entry. It is not advisable to drink from rivers and dams for risk of Bilharzia. Malaria is common in some parts of Zimbabwe and prophylacsis has to be taken before traveling to these low-lying areas such as Zambezi River, Gonarezhou, Honde Valley, Beitbridge and Hwange. Prophylacsis is readily available from the local pharmacies in the country.

Conditions for the coverage of medical treatment (state or private) including details on the opportunity to access public services and health insurance
Although there is both state coverage and private coverage medical aid/insurance systems in Zimbabwe, the majority of the population only has access to private insurance. Even if you have private insurance, it is standard practice for hospitals and private clinics to require part of the payment as cash before receiving services to enable them cover for shortfalls that may arise.
There are several health insurance companies to choose from and all require you to present an identification card or passport to register. Depending on the insurance cover one intends to join some insurance companies require the applicant to undergo a medical test prior to becoming insured.

Private Medical Aid Providers

CIMAS
They have branches in 4 cities namely Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru and Mutare. They have the following premiums and on average they cost:

Cimas Basicare Package US$0.14 per member,
Cimas Primary Package US$0.28 per member,
Cimas General Package US$0.58 per member,
Cimas Private Hospital Package US$3.00 per member,
Cimas Medexec Package US$4.00 per member,
Below are addresses and contact information for CIMAS different offices around the country:

State hospitals and clinics and Mission hospitals and clinic are less expensive (sometimes 100 times less) than private hospitals.

Below is the list of State Hospitals/Clinics and Private Hospitals/Clinics available in Zimbabwe. Private health facilities are shown in bold.

Harare City:

1. Parirenyatwa Hospital, PO Box CY 198, Causeway, Harare Tel: 04 701555-7
2. Harare Central Harare Hospital, Lobengula Road, ST 14 Southerton, Harare Tel: 04 664695/0
3. Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital, Milton Avenue, PO Box CY, Causeway, Harare Tel: 04 726121
4. The Montague Clinic, 135 J. Chinamano Avenue, 5th Street, Harare Tel: 04 700216
5. The Avenues Clinic, PO Box 4880, Harare Tel: 04 251140/44

Bulawayo City:

1. Mpilo Central Hospital, Vera Road, Box 2096, Bulawayo Tel: 09 72011/9
2. Bulawayo Central Hospital Tel: 09 230750
3. United Bulawayo Hospitals, PO Box 958, Bulawayo Tel: 09 252111 or 09 231647 or 09 234221
4. St Francis, Box 8256, Bulawayo Tel: 09 63411
5. Ingutsheni Hospital, 23rd Avenue, Belmont East, Box 8363, Belmont, Bulawayo Tel: 09 66463 or 72420
6. Nervous Disorders Hospitals, PO Box 949, Bulawayo Tel: 09 60021 or 62328
7. Lady Rodwell Maternity Hospital Tel: 09 230750
8. Robbie Gibson Hospital Tel: 09 230750
9. Richard Morris Hospital Tel: 09 230750

Gweru City:

1. General Hospital, PO Box 135, Gweru Tel: 054 51106 or 054 51301 Fax: 054 2406
2. Birchenough Maternity Hospital, PO Box 59, Gweru Tel : 054 2399
Mutare City:

1. Mutare Provincial Hospital, PO Box 30, Mutare, Tel: 020 64321
2. Sakubva District Hospital, PO Box 3039, Paulington, Mutare Tel: 020 64204
3. Marange Rural Hospital, PO Odzi

Kwekwe Town:
1. Kwekwe General Hospital, PO Box 39, Kwekwe Tel: 055 2333/7
Masvingo City:
1. Masvingo General Hospital, PO Box 114, Masvingo Tel: 039 263491 or 039 264096 or 039 263358/9
2. Ngomahuru Hospital, P Bag 9028, Masvingo Tel: 039 263125
Rusape Town:
1. Rusape General Hospital, PO Box 10, Rusape Tel: 025 3798
Marondera Town:
1. Marondera General Hospital, PO Box 20, Marondera Tel: 079 24876/7
2. Chiota Rural Hospital, PO Box 20, Marondera Tel: 079 20202
Chinhoyi Town:
1. Chinhoyi General Hospital, PO Box 17, Chinhoyi Tel: 067 22305 or 067 22546/7
Bindura Town:
1. Bindura Provincial Hospital, PO Box 260, Bindura Tel: 071 7419
MISSION HOSPITALS:
Mission hospitals are hospitals that are administered by different churches around the rural community in the country. Most of them were built by the missionaries so as to improve health accessibility for the rural community.
1. Mtshabezi Mission Hospital, P Bag M5212, Bulawayo
2. Bonda Mission Hospital, PO Box T7903, Mutare
3. Murambinda Mission Hospital www.vanstam.net PO Box 20, Buhera Tel: 021 2594
4. Mutambara Mission Hospital, PO Box 90, Nhedziwa
5. Tshelanyemba Mission Hospital, P Bag, Maphisa 5703, Maphisa
6. Luisa Guidotti Hospital, PO Box 201, Mutoko Tel: 072 2729 or 072 2592
7. Elim Mission Hospital, PO Box 2007, Nyanga Tel: 0298 516
8. Songati Baptist Hospital, P Bag 735, Kadoma
9. Rusitu Mission Hospital

Health Insurance

Insurance subscriptions per month range from US$10.00 to +US$200 and some policies mature after 10 years or +20 years. Returnees cannot exchange their previous foreign Insurance for a local insurance. Insurance companies prefer their clients to start up a new policy with them.
Civil servants primarily have access to state insurance only if they get to be government employees (Civil Servants). Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) www.psmas.co.zw
PSMAS is a state funded scheme and it is mainly prioritised for Civil Servants and low income persons. Persons under this insurance can access all government hospitals and clinics without paying large amounts of money upfront. Below is their address:

Head Office: PSMAS House, 47 George Silundika Avenue PO Box 885, Harare, Tel: 04 705186/8, 04 705153, 04 735900, 04 791815/7 Fax: 04 731674

Traditional Healers
Traditional Healers are available throughout Zimbabwe. Medical aid is not required to access their services and the payment is determined by the Traditional Healer. Payment is usually either in cash or kind and may depend on the patient’s income level. For example, the poor may pay a goat while the rich may be required to give a bull as payment. Below is the address and contact information for the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA).

Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association, Room 8, Second Floor Khan House, Corner Albion ave/ L. Takawira, Harare, PO Box 1116 Harare Fax: 04 751902 Tel: 04 751902

Available Medicines
In Zimbabwe, medicines are sold in registered pharmacies around the country. To get medication from a pharmacy, one has to consult a registered doctor who will provide a prescription. Over the counter drugs, such as headache and other mild medications are readily available without a prescription.

It is possible for both PSMAS and CIMAS medical aid users to buy medicines in pharmacies around the country without paying cash upfront. There are special cases whereby one needs to produce cash upfront, for example when the medication gets expensive in comparison to the medical aid premium one is subscribed.
If you are currently on medication, it is important to visit a doctor in Zimbabwe upon arrival in order to receive a new prescription. There are different brands of medication available in the global market and your doctor can subscribe the type available in Zimbabwe.
Antiretrovirals (ARVs) can be sourced from licensed centres around the country and most of these are major government hospital pharmacies and reputable pharmacies, where strict individual records with updated schedules are kept so as to discourage purchase through the black market. In Zimbabwe there are two ways to obtain ARVs. The first one is through the Government programme where an individual registers with one of the government’s main hospital and is put on a waiting list. The second way is by paying privately. In both scenarios all patients need to produce a prescription from the medical doctor. It is advisable that patients on ARV programmes see a doctor upon arrival to receive a new prescription because there are different types of ARVs on the global market which differ from one region to another. An average adult’s month course of ARVs from a private pharmacy costs US$50.00.

Traditional medicaments: For those who would prefer traditional medicines they can contact Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA). Medicines to cure various diseases are always available and if not found in local areas the healers can even travel to nearby countries to source the herbs for treatment.
Zimbabwe