Doctorly is Now a Registered Tier 1 Data Controller Under POTRAZ, Here's Why That Matters for You
By Doctorly, 27 August 2026
Doctorly is now a licensed Tier 1 Data Controller with POTRAZ, meaning the platform's security, DPO, and breach-response infrastructure already meet the standard mandatory inspections will check for starting September 1, 2026. Here's what that means for your clinic's own compliance, and what you still need to do before inspectors reach healthcare providers.
Patient health information or data is some of the most sensitive information that exists. Names, medical histories, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans—all of it needs to be handled with utmost care, and Zimbabwe's regulators have made that a legal requirement, not just good practice.
We're glad to announce that Doctorly is now registered as a Tier 1 Data Controller under the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), the Data Protection Authority designated under the Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07].
What's Changing on September 1
Under the Cyber and Data Protection (Licensing of Data Controllers and Appointment of Data Protection Officers) Regulations, 2024 (Statutory Instrument 155 of 2024), every organisation that processes personal data, public or private, was required to possess a valid Data Controller or Processing Licence by 12 March 2025.
It has been more than a year since, and starting 1 September 2026, POTRAZ will begin mandatory compliance inspections and assessments under Section 6(1)(a), read with Sections 21(3) and (4), of the Act. These inspections follow a risk-based approach, and healthcare providers are named among the first sectors in scope, alongside financial institutions, insurance companies, local authorities, mining enterprises, religious organisations, schools, government ministries, and NGOs.
In short: if you're a doctor, clinic, or medical practice handling patient records, you're on the list.
Why This Matters for Doctors and Medical Practices
Licensing as a data controller isn't just a box to tick. It's a demonstration of your commitment to protecting the personal information entrusted to you by every patient who walks through your door. Non-compliance carries real risk, not just regulatory penalties, but also the erosion of patient trust that's core to the practice of medicine.
For an individual practice, getting there means navigating licence applications, appointing a Data Protection Officer, and building out data processing and security protocols, on top of everything else that comes with running a clinic.
What This Means If You're on Doctorly
When you join Doctorly, you're automatically covered under our Data Controller Licence and our existing data protection protocols. That means:
- No separate licence application (which would have cost you $50 minimum for a Tier 1 licence). Your patient data is processed under our registered Tier 1 status.
- No need to appoint your own Data Protection Officer (which would have cost you $300 minimum). We already have that covered.
- Inspection-ready from day one (which would have cost you close to $1000). Should POTRAZ come knocking, your data is already handled under a compliant, licensed framework.
On top of that, you get everything else Doctorly offers: WhatsApp-native AI-enabled patient booking; an Electronic Health Records (EHR) and practice management system; instant claims processing with more than 20 medical aid providers through Health263; telemedicine; appointment transcription; and access to equity and debt financing for your practice, all in one platform.
It's currently free to join.
As POTRAZ put it in their notice, data is the new currency, and it's everyone's responsibility to process it fairly and lawfully. Doctorly makes that responsibility easier to carry, so you can focus on your patients, not your paperwork.
Ready to get compliant before September 1? Sign up on Doctorly today.