Antony Chawagarira
The Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe (HPA) has published a list of registered public and private mental health, drug and substance abuse rehabilitation facilities, raising questions about the registration status of other rehabilitation centres operating across the country.
In a public notice, the regulatory authority warned members of the public against seeking treatment from unregistered facilities or institutions operating without qualified personnel.
The HPA said some facilities offering drug and substance abuse rehabilitation and other forms of mental healthcare were operating without the requisite registration or qualified personnel.
“These illegal facilities often lack appropriate infrastructure and fail to adhere to established medical protocols,” the authority said.
It warned that such operations expose patients to serious risks, including substandard care, abuse and neglect, harmful or unproven treatments, and a lack of recourse in cases of malpractice.
The authority urged members of the public to report suspected illegal health facilities to the HPA or the nearest law enforcement agency.
According to the published notice, the public facilities on the HPA database include Angel of Hope Rehabilitation Centre, Sally Mugabe Central Hospital Psychiatric Unit, Parirenyatwa Annex Psychiatric Unit, Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital, Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital, Ruwa Rehabilitation Clinic, Wilkins Drug Rehabilitation Centre, Chipadze Detoxification and Rehabilitation Centre and Marondera Rehabilitation Centre.
The private facilities listed are Mandipa Hope Rehabilitation, Fight Against Substance Abuse and Addictions Hospital (FASAA), Manicaland Mental Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Chrysalis Transformation Centre, Restore Life Rehabilitation, CharLoriet Health Services, Gateway Mental Health and Rehabilitation Psychology Unit, Mandara Manor Wellness Centre, Mubatirapamwe Hospital, Mubatirapamwe Sober Living Space, Jacaranda Sanctuary Rehabilitation Centre, Harmony Wellness Centre, Borrowdale Transformation Centre, Uzima Recovery Centre, Queen of Peace Therapy Centre and Gavtet Wellness and Skills Centre.
The facilities are located in Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Ruwa, Bindura, Marondera, Norton, Mutare, Gweru and Shamva.
However, the publication has prompted questions about the status of other well-known rehabilitation institutions, including Matrix, which has a presence in Zimbabwe’s substance abuse recovery sector.
A search of the HPA’s publicly accessible registered facilities database shows entries for Matrix Clinical Laboratories in Chitungwiza and Harare. However, these entries pertain to clinical laboratory services and do not confirm that a Matrix drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centre is registered.
The HPA’s published rehabilitation facilities notice does not include Matrix among the institutions listed.
This does not, on its own, conclusively establish that Matrix is unregistered, as the institution could potentially operate under another registered legal or trading name, or its registration status may require clarification directly from the regulator.
The HPA maintains that all health institutions must be registered, and members of the public can verify facilities through its official website or contact the authority directly.
The authority can be reached on 0772 161 770 / 0782 588 614, or through info@hpa.co.zw and inspectorate@hpa.co.zw.
