The Cabinet of Zimbabwe has approved the Medical Services Amendment Bill, 2019 which the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi presented as the chairman of the Committee on Legislation.
The Minister informed Cabinet that the Medical Services Amendment Bill, 2019 is intended to align the Medical Services Act [Chapter 15:13] with the Constitution as part of the ongoing Legislative Reform Programme.
The amendment primarily seeks to safeguard and promote the right of every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe to access basic health care services, including reproductive health care; the right of every person to emergency medical treatment in any health institution; and the right of every child to health care services.
In particular, the amendment accords priority to the rights of persons over 70 years, persons living with disabilities and veterans of the liberation struggle to access medical attention.
The Bill comes when the country’s health sector is collapsed with public health institutions lacking sufficient resources including medicines, equipment and personnel.
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