Makone clarifies story on Tsvangirai’s hospital bill

Vanovengereyi mwana wavaridzi kudararo. They thrive on character assassination.

There is a gross breach of etiquette here done so hurriedly solely to tarnish Tsvangirai’s image. But this concoction does not work. Tsvangirai was not admitted to hospital on the basis of a routine check up but on any emergency basis. In a routine arrangement like that which Mugabe gets in Singapore the estimated costs are known well in advance and the expectation is that if the patient presents himself then he is aware of his obligation, albeit estimated. However, even in Mugabe’s routine case there is always the possibility of cost overruns arising from the unforeseen etc. Rarely though do hospitals and medical facilities vary their costs downwards after the routine procedure is done. This is the standard practice in any civilised institution, a credible hospital and a non politicised situation.
Dare I mention here that even in this routine arrangement the hospital that is attending to the patient still runs the risk of failing to recover costs arising from overruns should the unexpected happen, which may be the case if the patient passes on during a procedure. Unless we are talking propaganda here then we expect that this is common sense, clear and without controversy.

Whereas when one is attended by the hospital on an emergency basis it is presumed that, with the exception of the standard administrative fees that may include an initial consultation fee neither the doctor nor the patient is aware of the costs. In the event that the doctor decides to admit the patient then again the costs of such admission are only estimates varying perhaps in proportion to the diagnosis. Now, even discounting the possibility of a misdiagnosis once the attending doctor prescribes an admission then only on rare occasions does he state the length of that admission. The length of admission is out of the monitoring carried out by the doctor. In the case of Tsvangirai we are told he was admitted for further diagnosis, an issue that makes estimation of costs even more cumbersome if not impossible. Not knowing how it is done in far away hospitals of Singapore the practice in Zimbabwe is that the actual bill is only presented to patients about a month after the incident of overnight admission. In the case of longer periods of stay in hospital it could take up to about a month after the patient is discharged. This is not withstanding the fact that the hospital will have demanded an upfront deposit or other arrangement.

There is no way of vaccinating against this risk of variation of costs unfortunately. In short there is no known hospital fee for admitted patients. Those who are on medical aid schemes know that the benefits are not without limits. Even those on medical insurance there are limits to the quantum of benefits. In countries where there is no ‘free’ medical facilities it follows that by admitting patients hospitals are accepting the risk of cost overruns, which they may or may not recover. The risk gets higher in the event of an adult patient passing on.

So what is the beef with this Tsvangirai issue? Nothing except that it clearly demonstrates how Mugabe’s government and his henchmen have clearly subverted the very foundation of society and the functioning of its institutions for purposes of power retention.

Further, it demonstrates how the government of Mugabe and his ever grovelling bunch of psychophants take people for granted. They destroy institutions that serve the people and now are laughing out very loud at the distress that the common citizens find themselves in. Through corruption of unprecedented levels institutions like PSMAS have lost credibility and those who for decades had secured their future health benefits through them are now out in the cold. So Mugabe’s government as represented by the government press, the Herald, who are the beneficiaries of the corruption laugh out the loudest. Not sure if Cuthbert Dube and Charamba were not even a board members of Zimpapers. but certainly Charamba is the secretary for ministry responsible for the Herald.

Further still it demonstrates that the current government has no heart for the people at all but is preoccupied with embarrassing Tsvangirai. Who in this environment is able to make a saving, I ask, when salaries are less than the poverty datum line; there is an enduring liquidity crisis; and 90% unemployment among urban population and so on and so forth? Now we see where this drama is NOT much ado about nothing. Instead it is about laughing at the Zimbabwean citizen.

It exposes the callousness of the regime in power. How could you 34 years after independence let a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe just walk away straight into penury like that? The whole world is watching and laughing at us because of this. Is that what every citizen should expect from you as a Government they can proudly call theirs? An uncaring government; one without compassion; one that celebrates the misery and suffering of its people! How could this possibly be?

As a citizen of this country I know what this Prime Minister has done for my lot. I know what he has done for my children, my wife, my father, my relatives and fellow country men. In 2008 when the economy was in meltdown he surprised me everyone by humbling himself in compassion with the common citizen and accepted to be non executive Prime Minister notwithstanding the fact that he had convincingly won the first round of elections in March of the same year. The run off that followed we know what happened that is was a violent one and was condemned by all and sundry, except of course those who stood to benefit from the wanton destabilization from this despicable conduct.

Out of Tsvangirai’s actions in a short time thereafter the hospitals were functioning again. The schools were open again. Food was on the shelves again. Dare I say it was a short four year period that too good to last. That was in spite of the sanctions mantra. Yes, the targeted sanctions remained in force. Now that that period is behind us and that only Mugabe and his wife remain on the EU sanctions list, diamonds are being sold at auctions of our choice etc hope has deserted the country once more again and despondency has gripped the nation in the wake of Zanupf henchmen proceeding in a frenzy of full scale looting.