Health Regulators Sound Alarm on Illegitimate Rehabilitation Centers Worldwide
The Health Professions Authority (HPA) of Zimbabwe has expressed its concern over medical rehabilitation facilities operating across the country without registration and licensing.
In a statement, the HPA Secretary General, Clotilda Chimbwanda, said these illegal rehab centres lack numerous standards to run a facility which poses a risk to the patients.
"The HPA, mandated by the Health Professions Act [Chapter 27:19], is the regulatory body responsible for ensuring that all health institutions and health professionals in Zimbabwe adhere to the highest standards of care. The HPA manual clearly stipulates the requirements for the registration and licensing of health facilities, including those providing medical rehabilitation services.
"It has come to the attention of the HPA that numerous facilities are operating without the requisite registration, offering services such as substance abuse rehabilitation, mental health rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy and other forms of rehabilitative care.
These unauthorized establishments frequently do not have properly trained staff, adequate facilities, or compliance with recognized healthcare standards. This can lead to significant dangers for patients, such as inferior treatment, mistreatment and negligence, transmission of contagious illnesses, provision of potentially hazardous or unverified therapies, and absence of legal remedies,” stated Chimbwanda.
In recent years, Zimbabwe has experienced a significant increase in drug and substance misuse, particularly amongst young people. The country’s high joblessness rates and difficult economic conditions have been pinpointed as the primary factors behind this trend.
HPA has collaborated with law enforcement agencies to crack down on these unauthorized centers, which are breaching the HPA Act.
"HPA wants to stress that running an unlicensed healthcare center goes against the Health Professions Act [Chapter 27:19]. The organization is partnering with police departments to locate and shut down such unauthorized centers and ensure those responsible face legal consequences. HPA advises citizens to confirm whether a medical rehab center is properly registered prior to receiving care or entrusting a family member there," stated Chimbwanda.
The HPA has listed down the legal registered health facilities and encouraged members of the public to report any other bogus institutions to the law enforcement agencies.
Below is the list of registered admitting rehabilitation centres in Zimbabwe:
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
