I'm sitting here, typing this from my mobile phone because I just faced this question no person should ever have to ask. Let me paint the picture: A man brings his wife who is in a state of sever dehydration. She needs fluids by drip, antibiotics, something to bring fever down and some tests to make sure her kidneys are fine and also to identify the causative agent. I work at a private firm for locums which only accepts particular medical aid schemes. Our patient is on none of them. The dreaded cash patient. The husband goes to reception after my consultation and is told he has to pay $130 for everything. He comes back to me and says 'doc, I only have $50, which medicine is most important?' Zimbabwe has become a very depressing place to work as a doctor. Forget our miserable pay issues. Patients are having to compromise their health because of the depth of their pocket. That is not fair. You might argue and say, well, couldn't this patient go to a government hospita
Diaries of a Media Medic..