Women in Zimbabwe charged Sh400 per scream if they cry out while giving birth

Women in Zimbabwe are being charged $5 (Sh425) every time they scream whilst giving birth.

A new report from Transparency International, which focuses on corruption around the world, found that a local hospital in one of Africa’s poorest countries was administering the hospital screaming fee to women who 'raised a false alarm'.

Hospitals in Zimbabwe charge a $50 (£33) delivery fee on top of that so with the average person's annual income at around $150 (£99), mothers who scream several times may have to part with half of their annual income.

And worse still, the report found that those women who couldn't afford the fees were sometimes detained at the hospital, being charged interest until their family were able to pay off the debts for them.

This leads numerous Zimbabwean mothers to give birth at home because they simply can’t afford the charges.

The United Nations found that on average eight mothers die every day during childbirth in the poverty-stricken country.

The Washington Post reports that Transparency International's Zimbabwe office contacted the national health ministry by sending a formal letter regarding the issue.

While the health ministry confirmed it had received the letter, they apparently did nothing about it.

When the NGO later contacted them to follow up, an official said that they had lost the letter.

A member of Transparency International then met with Arthur Mutambara, Zimbabwe’s deputy prime minister, who promised them he would look into the screaming fee issue.

The NGO now say they have had no more complaints about screaming charges; however, the $50 (£33) delivery charge still remains.

The screaming fee is just one of many examples of corruption in Zimbabwe.

It has also been revealed that a staggering 62 percent of people have paid a bribe to a public official in the past year.

-Daily Mail