Masters Degrees (Centre for Medical Ethics and Law)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Centre for Medical Ethics and Law) by Subject "Medical ethics -- Zimbabwe"

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    A System in Crisis: Ethical Concerns about Zimbabwean Healthcare in the 21st Century.
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Moyana, Farayi; Moodley, Keymanthri; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Medical Ethics and Law.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Health care services in post-independent Zimbabwe have undergone turbulence with periods of seemingly significant improvements and other periods of definite decline. This thesis looks at health-care systems in general and in particular, the way in which they are reflected through the health-care system of Zimbabwean. Ethical issues and challenges in health care can take many forms ranging from debates and discussions on the fairness or the lack thereof in the health-care reform process, the ethics of inter-professional relationships, the ethical problems with doctorpatient relationships, the state of advocacy in health matters, and patient rights, ethical perspectives influencing discourses on health systems, the ethics of health-care funding, and debates on access to health care. This thesis reflects on the complexities of the challenges, needs and reform requirements of the Zimbabwean situation. A critical analysis of the ethical principles, their impact on the Zimbabwe health care system, using largely the principlist approach as enunciated by Beauchamp and Childress (2013), is conducted. Other moral theories such as the social contract theory is also discussed in some detail because of its important application to issues related to health care. A whole chapter is dedicated to the principle of distributive justice and its relevance and implications for the health care systems in general, but also with particular relevance to the situation in Zimbabwe. Lack of or inadequate insurance is the biggest economic hurdle in accessing health care in many low income countries. There are two main arguments, which appear to support some sort of moral right to a health care funded by the government – “the collective social protection” and the “fair opportunity arguments” (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013). Both of these arguments are discussed in detail. Right to health and right health care are two concepts which confuse a lot of readers because they are close but refer to different dimensions of the concept of health. They are discussed with a particular emphasis on the ethical issues involving allocation of health resources, rationing and setting of priorities. This thesis winds up by looking at the possible solutions to the health crisis in Zimbabwe. The much-flaunted National Health Insurance, amongst other possible remedies, is analyzed. A list of recommendations is outlined, in the last chapter.