Maputo — The director of Maputo Central Hospital has banned the use of US dollars in all payments in the hospital. According to the paper "O Pais", the measure was brought in on Friday, and will end the practice of forcing patients, especially those in the special clinic, to pay in dollars.

In a press release the director said that that this move follows a letter from the Bank of Mozambique, which stated that all payments for hospital procedures should be billed for and paid in Meticais.

The decision of the board of Maputo Central Hospital comes days after the Education Ministry convened a press conference in Maputo to announce a ban on the use of dollars for any billing in schools or for setting the price of tuition and other services.

The problem has arisen because the dollar has been rising in value against the metical, leading effectively to huge price increases in services quoted in dollars.

The current exchange rate is about 39 meticais to the dollar. At one stage this year a dollar was equivalent to just 27 meticais.