THE free user policy in public hospitals has resulted in the government debt accumulating to ZWL$11 314 021 087 being total owed to several institutions, the latest Auditor General's report notes.

Acting Auditor-General Rheah Kujinga said an examination of records for the programme revealed that the Health ministry owed several institutions an amount of ZWL$11 314 021 087 as at December 31, 2023 for services provided to beneficiaries of the government health facility.

"The amount owed to the health institutions could be more than the one indicated above as results from confirmations made with Parirenyatwa and Chitungwiza hospitals revealed an understatement of ZWL$4 980 182 328 of their reported creditors.

"Risk/Implication Failure by the ministry to pay outstanding amounts owed might impact negatively on the service delivery by the institutions," reads the report.

Kujinga said Recommendation Management should prioritise payment of bills owed under the programme to avoid crippling the operations of various hospitals, which offer the services.

The ministry, according to the report, said it is doing everything possible with the current resources because the budget was exhausted before the year end.

Parirenyatwa Hospital recently told parliamentarians that the issue of free medical services for selected exempted groups compounded poor services delivery.

The hospital's finance director, Mercy Sanzira said the hospital is failing to sustain itself because it is not getting any funding from Treasury.

As a result, the facility is swimming in debt incurred while sourcing medicines and services for patients who do not pay a penny.

As of May 2024, the hospital had not received any reimbursements for mental health patients.

The hospital has a 238-bed hospital and most of the time has floor beds because of the free user policy.

While this is happening, according to Sanzira, the hospital is over admitted to an extent that it has created floor beds to cater for all exempted patients.

The hospital also has a free user policy for the under five children, who get free admission, food, medicines, radiology, laboratory and theatre services, among other freebies.