Zimbabwe: Why Zimbabwe’s Medical Aid Societies Became Healthcare Providers and Why It Still Matters

A debate over proposed changes to Zimbabwe’s Medical Aid Societies Regulations has reignited questions about the role of medical aid providers in the country’s healthcare system.

At the centre of the discussion is whether medical aid societies should continue operating clinics, pharmacies and laboratories or return to what many see as their traditional role of financing medical care.

In principle, medical aid societies are designed to pool financial risk and pay for treatment rather than provide…