Zimbabwe’s New Mothers Face Extortion for ‘Free’ Child Health Cards

New mothers in Zimbabwe face extortion for Child Health Cards, which are supposed to be free but have become scarce due to corruption within the healthcare system. Clinic staff are selling the cards, leading to a black market that exacerbates the already strained maternal health services. The return of maternity fees compounds the issue, placing further financial burdens on mothers struggling to secure essential healthcare documentation.

In Zimbabwe, new mothers are confronting severe challenges in obtaining Child Health Cards, essential documents intended to be free. Connie Jowa, a first-time mother, highlights the plight of many women as they encounter a scarcity of these cards in maternity clinics and hospitals. These cards, crucial for tracking child health records, are often only accessible through unofficial channels, leading to a black market for their sale.

The disappearance of these cards from health facilities has prompted a troubling undercurrent of corruption, as clinic staff engage in sales of the cards for cash. Healthcare union leader Simbarashe James Tafirenyika indicates that staff members often collaborate to sell these cards, pocketing significant amounts while denying the government due revenue.

As more than 3,000 babies are delivered monthly at Harare’s council clinics, mothers such as Jowa find themselves recording health information on scraps of paper due to the absence of official documentation. An anonymous nurse aide mentions that health workers often advise mothers to be ‘skillful’—a euphemism for bribing staff for access to free cards due to systemic shortcomings.

Prosper Chonzi, the director of health for Harare, acknowledges the erratic supply of Child Health Cards, which is coupled with a troubling return of maternity fees in public hospitals. This reintroduction of fees, while unconfirmed officially, imposes additional financial burdens on new mothers who bear the costs of childbirth.

Zimbabwe’s healthcare system has historically faced challenges, with high inflation leading to increased bribery solicited by health workers. A significant survey revealed that many citizens encountered demands for payment while accessing services, largely due to economic pressures.

Activists argue that maternal health services should remain free, emphasizing the societal significance of childbirth. Women like Valerie Shangwa, who recently gave birth, report difficulties in maintaining medical records without a proper Child Health Card, which complicates ongoing health assessments.

Officials from Print Flow, the company responsible for printing Child Health Cards, confirm that shortages persist, primarily due to inadequate distribution frameworks and lack of government orders. The Ministry of Health attributes the card deficiency to supply chain inefficiencies and insufficient donor resources, advocating for improved resource mobilization.

As mothers in Zimbabwe face the choice of waiting indefinitely or resorting to illicit means to obtain Child Health Cards, the situation remains critical and calls for immediate attention and reform in the healthcare system.

The situation surrounding Child Health Cards in Zimbabwe reflects deep systemic issues within the healthcare system, where extortion and corruption are undermining essential services for new mothers. With reports indicating both a resurgence of maternity fees and increasing bribery, it is evident that urgent reform is needed to ensure equitable access to maternal healthcare. As long as the government fails to address these challenges, mothers will continue to suffer the burdens imposed by a flawed system that neglects their fundamental needs.

Original Source: globalpressjournal.com