The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank has introduced a medical aid facility that is targeted at marginalised women to allow them to access medical care.
The medical aid will cost $1 per person per month. In an interview, the bank’s chief executive officer, Mrs Mandas Marikanda, said it was critical to look after women’s health as most of them were facing challenges in accessing health care.
“We came in to address the various needs of women in Zimbabwe which are food, shelter, education and health. Women have had limited access to health care needs owing to limited finances and we have said we can offer affordable medical aid via the bank. So women will not only access loans but medical aid too,” she said.
Mrs Marikanda said all medical aid societies combined in the country only cover about two million people of the population.
She said the bank’s health insurance scheme is targeted at female micro entrepreneurs who have no medical cover.
“We want our women at the lowest levels to join, those with small businesses, house helpers and so on to join this affordable scheme and their families can be covered. A family of six will be paying $6 per month and they will get covered for a maximum of $2 000 per year. One can cover their parents in the rural areas and all they have to do is find transport to the health institution when they fall ill and the rest is covered by the medical aid,” said Mrs Marikanda.
She said the medical aid scheme will give members and beneficiaries access to Government, mission and other selected hospitals and clinics in the country. She said the scheme was likely to reduce the cost of accessing health care for underprivileged women. The bank was officially opened recently by President Mnangagwa in Harare. It is also meant to disburse loans to women to start their self help projects.
