Health Professions Authority raise concerns over illegal rehabilitation centres

By Staff Reporter

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 illegal facilities often lack qualified personnel, appropriate infrastructure, and adherence to established medical protocols. This poses serious risks to patients, including substandard care, abuse and neglect, spread of infectious diseases, administration of harmful or unproven treatment and lack of recourse,” said Chimbwanda.

Zimbabwe has in recent years seen a sharp rise in drug and substance abuse, especially among youths, with the high unemployment rate and economic situation being identified as chief among the causes.

HPA has engaged with the law enforcement agencies to clamp down on these illegal centres, which are violating the HPA Act.

“HPA wishes to emphasize that operating an unregistered health facility is a violation of the Health Professions Act [Chapter 27:19]. The Authority is working in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to identify and close down these illegal facilities and bring the perpetrators to justice. HPA urges the public to verify the registration status of any medical rehabilitation centre before seeking treatment or admitting a loved one,” said 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: