Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. C URRENT O PINION Priority setting in otolaryngology practices in Zimbabwe Clemence Chidziva a,b and Nyarai D. Soko b,c Purpose of review This article describes priority setting in otorhinolaryngology healthcare services in Zimbabwe. It aims to initiate discussion on priority setting among otorhinolaryngologists working in African countries. Recent findings The WHO reports that most developed countries have formal processes in place for the collection and analysis of information that is used in priority setting in healthcare services. However, many resource- limited nations lack well-defined processes for priority setting. Information surrounding priority setting in otorhinolaryngology in particular is scarce. Summary Priority setting refers to the distribution of limited resources among competing programmes and patient or patient groups in an equitable and just manner. A dearth of information on priority setting in otorhinolaryngology exists. This silence is more pronounced in African settings. Despite the myriad of challenges facing many African countries, formal guidelines for priority setting are rare. Priority setting therefore is often haphazard and unplanned. We therefore recommend agility in bringing together otorhinolaryngology stakeholders in an effort to initiate dialogue and come up with formal processes that will collect information that will lead to provision of guidelines in priority setting. Keywords otorhinolaryngology, priority setting, rationing care, resources, Zimbabwe INTRODUCTION Health systems globally have an uphill task in meet- ing the needs of patients on a backdrop of limited or even dwindling resources [1,2]. Disease burden, especially in developing nations, tends to be larger than the ability of health systems to adequately provide much-needed healthcare in adequate amounts [2]. Limited resources therefore pose a dilemma about which patient is treated first and how each patient is treated. Health services are forced into priority setting in order to stretch resour- ces. Priority setting, also called ‘rationing’ or ‘resource allocation’ [3], is fundamental in deliver- ing healthcare to any population. Priority setting in healthcare services refers to the distribution of resources among competing programmes and patient or patient groups [4]. Priority setting could be seen to answer the question, who gets what and at whose expense [5]. Well-developed and implemented priority set- ting guidelines have the advantages of enhancing budgeting and management of scarce resources [6]; they provide channels for the involvement of necessary stakeholders [7] and keep the public informed. They can also enable equitable service delivery [8]. However, priority setting can be per- ceived as a decision regarding which patient is treated first and which patient gets what type of treatment [9], potentially affecting doctor–patient relationships. Priority setting may also open chan- nels for manipulation of health systems [9,10]. The fundamental goal of priority setting in healthcare is to ensure equitable distribution of services includ- ing treatment and management of all individuals. Ideally, priority setting should be based on the view that all individuals have an intrinsic value regardless of their ethnic background, age, sex, religion, socio- economic status, level of functionality, place of residence or even relationship status [9]. a Department of Surgery, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, b Audiomax Clinic, Baines Avenue and c Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe Correspondence to Clemence Chidziva, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare 0000, Zimbabwe. Tel: +263772135657; e-mail: cchidziva@audiomaxclinic.com Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019, 27:207–211 DOI:10.1097/MOO.0000000000000537 1068-9508 Copyright ß 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. www.co-otolaryngology.com REVIEW