Private Health in Zimbabwe Shocked Me!

And it may shock you too

Firstly, I’d like to start off by sharing that we filmed the first international episode of Business of Healthcare!!!!!

I filmed at a Private Hospital in Zimbabwe in a fairly affluent area. We toured their hospital, which had theatres, consultation rooms, and also a Centre for Regenerative Medicine.

My level of surprise comes from the fact that in the West, we are always sold an image of Africa which is negative, and to be honest, I’d bought it. I was expecting to see standards that were below anything I’d seen before however this clinic was largely superior to any NHS hospital I have ever been in my life.

There was an intentionality behind the entire clinic where they thought about what the patient would want, and they built everything around that. Everything from the food on the menu, an open garden, and knowing their patients by name. They even had a VIP section for their more affluent people or ministers who don’t want to be seen by the public.

The BIG disclaimer is that this was a private hospital that does cater to the upper 2% hence they can invest in their services, and not a lot of people in the country can access it.

My trip illustrated to me that there is so much opportunity to improve healthcare services in Zimbabwe because of the large gap that exists. This is a gap between the private and public sectors, a gap between the private sector and other private services globally. Those who can afford private healthcare in Zimbabwe are global ‘customers’, they expect a level of service they receive in London or Dubai to also exist in Harare. This poses its own set of challenges.

I’d love you to watch the episode and let me know your thoughts

Watch the Full Video Here: