HPA Warns of Health Risks from Unregistered Beauty Clinics in Zimbabwe

The Health Professions Authority, Zimbabwe (HPA) has now taken a stand against the increasing number of beauty and wellness centres that are offering medical services that are not within their trained specialities.

Recently, many beauty clinics and spas have been offering ‘wellness’ services such as IV drips and shots. These establishments, which are usually unregulated and may not have medical professionals to supervise these procedures, have been luring clients searching for vitamin drips, slimming treatments among others.

HPA emphasized on the fact that relying on health care treatments from people without valid practice often comes with dangerous health repercussions including infections as well as life-threatening conditions as stated in their press release.

“We are concerned that beauty and wellness facilities are offering beauty enhancements, services and skin treatments using procedures that are beyond their scope of operation, such as intravenous drips and infusions.

“Intravenous drips and injectables are being administered by nonmedical professionals, which poses a serious threat to the health sector. This is a clear violation of the Health Professions Act, which prohibits nonmedical personnel from performing any act specially pertaining to registered professionals,” read the statement.

As the HPA has been established to uphold the people’s health rights, it is advising the public that many healthcare professionals and institutions offering various treatments are not professional or legal.

“These can be identified by the possession of a valid practising certificate from the practitioner’s respective Council as well as an HPA licence,” the statement revealed.

The HPA disclosed that currently it is in the process of partnering with the police to close centres that have been operated by people who do not have medical licences in carrying out some medical practice.

The HPA warned that the responsible individuals are facing the anger of the law.

These unregulated beauty clinics are reportedly endangering lives and the public is reminded to only place trust in their well-being with skilled practitioners.