LUSAKA, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Health Professions Council of Zambia on Tuesday called for introducing minimum standardized pricing of health care services in the country.
Aaron Mujajati, the chief executive officer of the regulator said a lack of standardized pricing for health care services has contributed to exploitation of patients by some health practitioners.
He said in a statement that patients who seek private health care are usually prescribed with a lot of medicines and other medical tests which are not necessary but designed to extort money from patients at exorbitant prices.
The professional body, he said, has been collaborating with the government to ensure that minimum pricing of practice standards is put in place in order to promote fairness and efficiency in health care management.
The rationalization of pricing will promote world class investment in the health sector in many parts of the country, he added.
Health care services in Zambia, especially in private hospitals, are expensive. The government is in the process of introducing a health insurance policy in order to allow citizens to afford quality health care services.
