
FRESH allegations of unethical conduct have surfaced at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, with the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe formally accusing Omnipath Medical Laboratories of operating an illicit sample collection point from a parked vehicle inside the hospital’s casualty area — a setup allegedly fuelled by kickbacks involving hospital staff.
The latest revelation follows a Check Point investigation last week, which revealed that some doctors and nurses at major public hospitals were allegedly pocketing kickbacks for referring patients to private laboratories — some of which they secretly own.
In a letter dated November 17, 2025, AHFoZ notified Parirenyatwa’s chief medical officer, Dr Tsitsi Magure, of what the association described as a verified scheme in which Omnipath used a vehicle as an unauthorised mobile sample collection site on hospital grounds.
The association alleged that the setup was being used to facilitate improper referral incentives provided to healthcare professionals.
AHFoZ says its investigation team visited the hospital and physically confirmed the presence of an Omnipath-branded vehicle conducting the suspected operation.
The association described the practice as a clear violation of medical ethics, stressing that inducements for patient referrals are both illegal and exploitative.
“The practice of offering or accepting inducements for patient referrals is a clear breach of medical ethics and is illegal. It does not only exploit patients but also brings the reputation of your esteemed institution into disrepute,” wrote AHFoZ.
As a direct response to the findings, AHFoZ announced that it had suspended Omnipath’s registration indefinitely, pending resolution of the matter.
The case has also been escalated to the Medical Laboratory and Clinical Scientists Council of Zimbabwe for regulatory scrutiny.
The association is now demanding clarity from Parirenyatwa’s leadership regarding whether the laboratory had been granted any official authority to operate within the facility — particularly in such an unconventional manner.
AHFoZ emphasised that its team remained available to provide “first-hand details gathered from their interaction at ‘the car’,” underscoring the seriousness with which the funders were treating the allegations.
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