City of Harare Launches US$2 Clinics and 50c Funeral Cover
The City of Harare has unveiled a new health scheme that promises to give residents access to medical care for just US$2 a year. On top of that, residents can get funeral cover for as little as US$0.50 a month.
The initiative, called the Community Health Equity Fund (CHEF), is the first of its kind in the capital. For a once-off registration fee of US$1 and an annual subscription of US$2, residents will be able to access city clinics, essential medicines, wellness programmes and consultations with doctors and nurses.
City of Harare Launches US$2 Clinics and 50c Funeral Cover
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume explained that the money collected will remain within the communities where it is paid, directly improving local services. In short, the model is designed to ensure that each suburb funds and strengthens its own clinics.
“We are going to get $2.00 per year from the residents. And this $2.00 per year will enable residents to use our clinics, maternity health and many other services that they normally get from the clinics, and the money will be used at the particular clinic that is paying. So if it’s a community in Harare South, the money will be used there, Mbare, it will be used there, and this will greatly improve the health services that we provide to the clinic,” Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said.
Officials behind the project stressed that the fund is built on the principle of shared responsibility. Since not everyone falls sick at the same time, pooling small contributions from many people will ensure continuous and sustainable healthcare delivery.
“We don’t offer you at the same time, so we all mobilise funds. Those who are ill today are supported by the funds that we’ve mobilised as a community, of course, together with the Health Services Fund that is coming from the city health department,” ZB Bank CEO Elisha Chibvuri said.
The scheme also brings in funeral cover at a heavily discounted rate. ZB Bank, one of the partners, confirmed that CHEF members will only pay US$0.50 a month for cover, while non-members will be charged three times more.
“ZB Bank is coming through with a funeral cover, which will cost just $0.50 per month for members of CHEF. I have to emphasise that if you’re not a member of CHEF, you pay US$1.50 a month,” ZB Bank Technical Freckson Ropi confirmed.
The project has already attracted strong backing. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) injected US$700,000 as seed money, while ZB Bank, Harare Municipal Medical Aid Services and the City of Harare have each committed support in different ways.
Importantly, the clinics under CHEF are expected to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, finally addressing long-standing complaints about the lack of emergency healthcare in densely populated suburbs.
Concerns Over Accountability
While residents’ groups welcomed the idea, they also raised concerns. Combined Harare Residents Association Executive Director Reuben Akili said the fund is clearly aimed at helping the poor and is a creative way to raise health funding. However, he warned that without proper accountability, the project could easily fall into the same traps that have derailed other schemes in the past.
“It is also showing that it’s a pro-poor initiative, but again, it’s innovation around how best we can be able to resource mobilise in terms of funding health. As you are aware, also that our local authority has been grappling to finance health due to poor revenue collection,” Combined Harare Residents Association Executive Director Reuben Akili said.
The Community Health Equity Fund will be piloted in Harare Southern District, starting with Mbare, Hopley Waterfalls, Sunnydale, Acadia, Braeside, Hadfield and satellite Clinics before expanding across the city in 2026.
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