About the Zimbabwe Medical Association

By The Standard | Aug. 12, 2012

THE Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) is a non-statutory, professional association for public and private sector medical practitioners. We have a membership of over 800 doctors across the country and these consist of different specialist disciplines. Zima is a voluntary independent representative body and it’s represented in various statutory government bodies — nationally and at provincial and branch levels — and this enables it to influence policy on health. The aim of Zima is to look after the interests of members of the medical profession in Zimbabwe, to improve the care of patients and to encourage the maintenance of professional and ethical practices in medicine in Zimbabwe. Zima’s activities focus on the professional and business aspects of medical practice.

We believe that doctors can positively influence medical practice by:

Anticipating and influencing health policy changes

Promoting cost containment

Maintaining lifelong commitment to continuing professional development.

Advocacy for patients’ wellbeing and access to highest affordable level of care. Our desire is to be the leading organisation for doctors characterised by integrity, professionalism, efficiency and dedication to effectively represent the interests of doctors, promote the health interests of patients and the public and take a leading role in the development and formulation of health policy.

Our values are:

Integrity

Professionalism

Ethics

Efficiency

Responsibility

Zima is the sole representative association for all doctors in Zimbabwe, irrespective of their area of specialty. It is a membership-based association whose objectives among others, is to protect and advance the interests of the medical profession in Zimbabwe. Our interests are vested in optimising the environment for a sound doctor-patient relationship, which since time immemorial, has been one based on mutual trust and respect. We work with the government of Zimbabwe and all stakeholders to ensure that all citizens and our visitors enjoy access to adequate standard of health.

We try as much as possible, together with stakeholders, to formulate and influence health policy, provide a forum for discussion on matters of common interest, ensure that members derive a sustainable source of income from practicing medicine in Zimbabwe and protect the health rights of the public at large. In trying to offer current evidence based medical practices, we and our partners offer continuous medical education to our members.

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Principles and values The association is committed to good governance, transparency, accountability, open and equitable access to information as well as involvement of all key stakeholders in the development and review of strategies.

Objectives of the association

To represent doctors with authority and credibility in all matters concerning their interests in the health care environment

To promote the integrity and image of the medical profession

To develop medical leadership and skills

To provide doctors with knowledge relevant to the demands of medical practice

To promote medical education, research and academic excellence

To encourage involvement in health promotion and education

To influence the health care environment to meet the needs and expectations of the community by promoting improvements to health reform, policy and legislation.

Activities and projects – The Zima Congress

This is an annual event held in the third week of August anywhere in Zimbabwe. However, due to the increasing numbers of both participating members and partners, the Zima congress’s traditional venue has become the Victoria Falls.

The congress has both scientific and social sessions where research papers are presented to participants in fulfilment of our quest for continuous medical education and hence promote the practice of evidence based medicine, to exhibition and sale of current world class equipment and medicines and drugs.

Our theme for 2012 is “Non Communicable Diseases Health Adds Life to Age”. This will be held at The Elephant Hills Hotel, Vic Falls from of August 15 to 19 2011.

Social responsibility We recognise the challenges facing the society in which we operate. As part of our social responsibility, we visit disadvantaged institutions in and around Zimbabwe and offer our services for free. This is done once every four months.

In their own way and during their own time, our members treat disadvantaged patients for free. We are aware of the shortfalls of a once-off visit every four months in preference for continuous presence but we face challenges in logistic and resource supply which, if sponsors come in to support, this activity would go a long way towards achieving this goal.

Continuous Medical Education At Zima, we want our members to give the best service to their patients. We encourage them to be up to speed with developments in medical skills through continuous medical education they are then awarded points of which a minimum of 50 is required for registration to practice during the following year. We work with the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (MDPCZ) so that non compliant members do not continue to practice without proper registration in Zimbabwe. This has been the case for the past number of years in line with changes happening anywhere in the world.

Zima intends to grow its membership and cater for the needs of its more practitioners. Currently we have the following benefits for all of our members:

1. CPD Accreditation with the Medical and Dental Practioners council of Zimbabwe. Zima coordinates accreditation of its affiliate associations for the renewal of practicising certificates with MDPCZ through the Council of Affiliated Association.

2. Organising CPD Activities – Zima organises Continuous Medical Education activities for its members. CME Days are organised throughout the year with the biggest one being the annual congress.

3. Free and unrestricted access to the information Zima has to offer, including updates on legislation, medical ethics, labour relations, continuing professional development and coding products and practice tools

4. Zima Malpractice Insurance Fund ensures that its members are covered against any claims filed against them during the execution of their duties. Medical Indemnity protects the patient and the Zima member and is also a constitutional requirement. The insurance is renewed once a year in July and the fund covers the doctor for what he has paid for the year in event of a claim.

5. Representation for individuals and groups in all matters affecting the profession including Industrial relations advice, support and representation

6. Private practice support, advice and coding support services

7. Free subscription to the Zima journals such as the Zima Stethoscope

8. Free legal advice through our Human Rights, Law and Ethics

10. Through Tractive Power Holdings t/a Puzey and Payne Vehicle Purchase Scheme All Zima members have the opportunity to buy brand new vehicles on credit courtesy of Puzey and Payne. This vehicle purchase scheme offers a wide range of choice from Toyota to Isuzu with a 10% deposit required up front, the difference payable at 15% interest over three years.

Terms and conditions do apply.

11. RM Insurance with discounted rates

Our members benefit from discounted rates from RM Insurance. RM Insurance offers our members the following products:

Medic Sure Package

Business Protection

Doctor’s Home Plan

Doctor’s Motor Scheme

Liaison with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare

The association articulates the interest of doctors and makes representation on behalf of its members. Zima also makes representation of the health stakeholders on pertinent health issues to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

Setting the doctors tariff

Zima sets a tariff for its members through the National Tariff and Liaison Committee. The tariff is recognised by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the MDPCZ.

Zima has a running agreement with African Sun for all its members for discounted hotel and accommodation rates.

Outgoing National Executive

Dr Enock Tatira – ZiMA President

Dr. Enock Tatira was born and grew up from both the farming and rural communities of Chipinge district. He went to Masvingo, Tuzuka and Clearwater Primary schools in Chipinge before enrolling for secondary education at Mutendi High, Chiredzi Christian and St. Anthony’s Musiso High. He studied medicine at the University Of Zimbabwe.

After university education he worked for the Zimbabwe Defense Forces as Senior Medical Officer for HQ 3 Brigade in Manicaland, before retiring to pursue his medical career in the private sector. He is a Family Practitioner and Medical Superintendent of Fenata Private Hospital, a hospital he started on his own in Mutare. He sits in the Baines Mutare Emergency Rooms as the Clinical Director and has been a board member for the Zimbabwe Health Access Trust.

He has been the Zima president since August 2010, having been the vice president of the association for four years prior to that. He also had been Zima Manicaland branch president for five years before being elevated to the national office.

In March 2012, he was appointed chairman of Access Medical Aid Society, which is a brainchild of Zima. Its sole existence is to act as a thin membrane that separates the service providers from their patients so much that they can share each other’s warmth in good times and indeed their anxieties during bad times.

He has contributed in the Stethoscope and Health Issues which are in-house publications of Zima and the Ministry of Health respectively. His passion is to see Zimbabweans getting equal and unlimited access to quality healthcare services where not the dollar sign but ethics and professionalism take centre stage, be it in the private sector or in public health institutions.

Dr Douglas Munoreviyi Gwatidzo – Secretary General (C.E.O)

He was born and bred in rural Mhondoro. He went to school in Mhondoro for his primary and secondary education. He had to complete Ordinary Level by correspondence when the school he was attending was closed following a “pungwe” at the school. He eventually did A’Levels at Gokomere High School in 1982, before he proceeded to the University of Zimbabwe to study medicine.

On completion in November 1987 he proceeded to do his internship at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for three months and Harare Hospital for twenty one (21) months, after which he joined the Zimbabwe National Army as a medical officer and rose to be senior medical officer with the rank of major.

He volunteered for early retirement to pursue his passion for Emergency Medicine at the Avenues Clinic and eventually joined Medical Air Rescue Services where he is currently the chief medical officer. During his career span, he has been actively involved in advancing the welfare of the professionals initially as a president of the Zimbabwe Medical Students Association then as the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights. The latter advocated for the rights of patients to the highest attainable standard of health as well as the freedom of the profession to care for patients without discrimination.

He was invited to oversee the running of the Zimbabwe Medical Association at the Zima Congress in 2011, when the then secretary general had resigned at short notice. With the assistance, advice and participation of members of the national executive council, he has steered developments at the national office in Harare as well as the branch office in Bulawayo. His desire is to see Zima grow in terms of membership, a process which has already progressed. He would also like to see the Zima brand assume its position in the world of branded institutions through massive renovations at the association’s offices, which are already a marvel as we speak. He also believes Zima should play a greater role in health policy formulation and the development of the health delivery system to levels that existed in the mid 80’s as well as early 90’s. He believes through this development, the multitudes of health professionals abroad would track back home to showcase their trade. Zimbabwe is indeed very rich in this area.

Dr. Gwatidzo hopes to grow the national office such that it will accommodate all medical sub specialties including undergraduate representatives under one roof. “With God on our side nothing can be against us” he believes.

Dr Billy Rigava

Professional Qualifications