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Lovemore Mataire Senior Reporter
Government plans to set up a national health insurance scheme to cater for the welfare of the most vulnerable members of society. In an interview on the sidelines of a four-day workshop on National Protection Framework Policy in Victoria Falls last week, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said plans were afoot to set up a national health company to cushion those unable to pay medical bills.

“It is our view as a ministry that a national insurance health company is imperative, especially at this juncture when we need to protect our citizens who can’t afford high medical bills. We proposed this idea a long time ago but issues to do with funding delayed its coming into life,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

The Minister said many African countries had national health insurance schemes to cater for those on the fringes of the mainstream economy or were unemployed.

Dr Parirenyatwa said although Government would play a leading role in funding the scheme, it was envisaged that everybody, including villagers, should contribute towards the facility. He said 90 percent of Zimbabweans were not on medical aid.

The Minister said a draft national social protection framework should include a health insurance scheme to cater for those who could not afford exorbitant medical bills.

The National Social Protection Policy Framework for Zimbabwe is designed to give effect to the values, principles, policies and priorities articulated in the country’s economic blueprint, ZIMASSET.

The policy came out of a realisation of weaknesses inherent in the country’s social protection system, which include its exclusionary nature on available services; lack of predictability, consistency, transparency and durability in most schemes and the absence of centralised coordination of social protection under various ministries. The policy framework places Government at the centre in mobilizing resources for social protection while additional resources can be sought from development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations.

Government is also expected to create an enabling environment for the private sector and other development partners to contribute towards social protection pillars.

Other strategies for mobilization of resources include yearly budgets, revenue from natural resources, tax reforms; improved revenue collection to ensure that adequate resources are availed for social protection in a predictable and sustainable manner.