Published by the government of Zimbabwe
25 September 2007
Harare — Government has been called to urgently review the medical doctor and patient confidentiality policy in cases where one partner goes for HIV testing and keeps it a secret from his or her spouse as the other partner had the right to know as well.
The resolution was reached by the Parliamentary women's caucus that met in Nyanga over the weekend during a workshop organised by the United Nations Population Fund to educate legislators on mainstreaming women's rights into health policy, practice and constitutional provisions.
Under Zimbabwean law, medical doctors are not allowed to reveal the health status of their patients to a third party including that person's spouse without their consent. Chiredzi North legislator Cde Celine Pote said close relatives, especially the other spouse, had the right to know the HIV status of his or her ailing partner.
"Let it be known by relatives especially the wife or the husband that the person they are taking care of is HIV positive to avoid cross infection and start living positively with the virus," she said. Matabeleland North Governor and Resident Minister Cde Thokozile Mathuthu said if the nation was ready to eradicate the HIV and Aids pandemic, it must do away with the confidentiality policy. Senator Alice Chimbudzi of Mt Darwin-Muzarabani said lawmakers had to move motions in Parliament in order to do away with the patient to doctor confidentiality policy.
"Government has to make it a point that relatives and spouses are informed of the status of their relative living with HIV and Aids.
"As legislators, we should ensure that medical doctors are empowered to disclose the HIV status of someone to close relatives," she said.
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