By Kuda Pembere
A 75-year-old woman has taken a private hospital to court, accusing the medical facility of unlawfully detaining her in an attempt to force payment of an outstanding bill.
Marita Manyore, who lives in Murambinda in Buhera District, Manicaland Province, has allegedly been held at Exclusive Medcare Hospital for close to two weeks after hospital authorities refused to discharge her until her bill, now said to total US$2 200, is fully settled.
Manyore was admitted on 10 February 2026 under the care of a specialist physician after her family sought medical assistance when she had been unwell for some time. She was reportedly referred for specialist services.
On 15 February 2026, her family requested that she be discharged after noting that the bill had reached US$1 070, which they said was beyond their means and likely to increase if she remained admitted. Following an assessment, the specialist physician concluded that Manyore had recuperated and no longer required specialist care, recommending that she could be managed by general practitioners.
However, when the family informed hospital staff of the discharge request and offered to pay US$200 upfront, with an undertaking to clear the balance in two instalments of US$500 each over two months, the hospital allegedly refused. The family was told that discharge would only be possible upon full payment.
On 19 February 2026, a renewed offer to pay US$500 as an initial instalment was also reportedly rejected. The family was advised that the bill had risen to US$1 440 and that full settlement was required.
On 25 February 2026, the family paid US$500 towards the bill and engaged Peggy Tavagadza and Tatenda Sigauke of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), who wrote to the hospital protesting the continued detention of the elderly woman.
In their letter, the lawyers described the hospital’s conduct as illegal and unethical. They argued that the facility would suffer no prejudice by discharging Manyore and recovering the outstanding balance through a payment plan or debt collection measures if necessary.
Despite this, the hospital allegedly maintained its position. During a meeting on 26 February 2026, one of the hospital’s directors reportedly informed the family that the bill had increased to US$2 200 and that the US$500 already paid was not sufficient to warrant her release.
As a result, Manyore instructed her son, Witness Mavambire, to file an urgent chamber application at the Mutare High Court on Saturday, 28 February 2026. In the application, she seeks an order declaring her detention unlawful and compelling the hospital to release her immediately.
Through the urgent application, her lawyers argue that her continued detention is intended to induce payment and constitutes a breach of her constitutional rights.
They further contend that detaining an elderly and vulnerable woman at a facility where she is no longer receiving active treatment, while costs continue to accumulate, effectively traps her in an escalating debt cycle.
While expressing gratitude to the hospital and attending doctors for the medical care provided, Manyore maintains that any contractual obligations arising from her treatment cannot justify the violation of her fundamental rights.
The matter is yet to be set down for hearing at the Mutare High Court.
