Published: 10 hours ago

The Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has called on medical aid societies to move beyond merely treating illnesses, emphasizing the need to proactively promote wellness among members.

Speaking at the 2025 Annual All Stakeholders Conference on Health in Victoria Falls, AHFoZ Chief Executive Officer Shylet Sanyanga highlighted that over US$200 million was paid out in healthcare claims last year. She stressed that medical aid societies should focus on keeping members healthy rather than only financing treatment when they fall sick.

"The claiming pattern shows that a significant percentage is spent only on sick members whilst those who are well are ignored until they fall sick," Sanyanga said. She urged insurers to implement lifestyle and disease management programs that incentivize wellness.

Sanyanga also raised concerns over the low penetration of medical aid coverage in Zimbabwe, attributing it to the shrinking formal sector and reluctance among those who can afford coverage. She encouraged citizens to join medical aid early in life, ideally before the age of 60, warning that joining after 65 is costly and often unaffordable.

Addressing the rise of bogus health practitioners, Sanyanga noted reports of unqualified individuals operating in both public and private institutions, as well as fraudulent practices by some service providers. "We have an accreditation process to weed out bogus providers… We need to work together on this challenge which threatens our healthcare sector," she said.

Despite these challenges, Sanyanga commended Zimbabwe's healthcare workforce for its high standards, praising both locally trained personnel and those who returned after specializing abroad. She called for greater collaboration among stakeholders to build a sustainable healthcare system and urged the Ministry of Health and Child Care to lead nationwide wellness campaigns and reinstate advisory committee meetings for better policy alignment.

The conference was held under the theme: "Promoting Innovation to Achieve an Equitable and Sustainable Healthcare System."
- The Chronicle