Afrigather 
By Tatenda Chimbwanda
Harare, Zimbabwe – Common Well being Protection (UHC) signifies that all individuals have entry to the total vary of high quality well being providers they want, when and the place they want them, with out having to endure monetary hardship to pay for it. It covers the total continuum of important well being providers, from well being promotion to prevention, remedy, rehabilitation, and palliative care. In accordance with the newest UHC index Zimbabwe stands at 55% above the Sub-Saharan Africa common of 46%.
To make well being for all (UHC) a actuality for all in Zimbabwe, His Excellency Honorable Vice President and Minister of Well being and Little one Care (MoHCC), Dr C.D.G.N Chiwenga lately launched the Well being Resilience Fund (HRF), a pooled donor funding mechanism which seeks to speed up progress in the direction of reaching UHC. The fund was launched along with the Nationwide Well being Technique (NHS) 2021-2025, the NHS Funding Case and the Nationwide Well being Sector Coordination Framework (HSCF). The precedence interventions to be funded underneath the HRF shall be knowledgeable by the NHS and the HSCF will allow stronger collaborations and coordinated response to the well being points in Zimbabwe.
Three UN Companies (UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO) along with the MoHCC will take management within the implementation of the HRF. The donors who’ve pooled the funding into the HRF embrace the European Union, the Authorities of Eire, and the UK.
Talking throughout the launch of HRF and methods, Dr Chiwenga emphasised on the significance of collaboration within the achievement of UHC. “Because the identify recommend the HRF is designed to make sure resilient and sustainable well being system. The challenges and classes learnt had been critically analyzed to give you well being interventions which take into account shortage of sources and the necessity for improved effectivity in our programming,” he mentioned.
“The federal government stays centered on reaching the best customary of well being care and high quality of life doable for all its residents,” he added.
The HRF is aligned with Zimbabwe’s Nationwide Growth Technique 1 (NDS1) and the Nationwide Well being Technique (NHS) 2021-2025. The HRF will contribute bettering well being look after weak moms, new-born, youngsters, and adolescents in Zimbabwe underneath the coordination of the MoHCC with assist from WHO, UNFPA, and UNICEF. The Fund with a finances of roughly USD 90 million will concentrate on three well being pillars: ending preventable maternal, new child, youngster, and adolescent deaths; international well being safety; and well being programs strengthening. WHO will present technical and operational assist to MoHCC in strengthening public well being emergency surveillance and response in any respect ranges of the well being system together with neighborhood stage underneath the HRF.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Zimbabwe Mr Edward Kallon famous,“the HRF and the results of partnerships amongst companions, can even influence positively on different sectors, Schooling, WASH, gender equality and fairness, job creation, thus enabling the achievement of different SDGs, together with strengthening the resilience of the individuals of Zimbabwe,” he mentioned.
Talking throughout the HRF and methods launch, European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Jobst von Kirchman, highlighted “the EU dedicated $USD45 million in the direction of the HRF. A wholesome inhabitants is the engine of a rustic’s financial system,” he mentioned.
The MoHCC developed NHS (2021–2025) to information the implementation of applications to enhance the well being and wellness of the inhabitants. The NHS (2021-2025) focuses on constructing on a resilient and sustainable well being system premised on UHC insurance policies strategy. Given the appreciable hole between the prices of the proposed set interventions and methods of NHS 2021-2025 and sources out there, the MoHCC developed the Funding Case to the Nationwide Well being Technique (2021–2025) to make sure mobilize required sources that shall be directed in the direction of prioritized excessive influence interventions. The necessity for collaboration and coordination stays key in accelerating the implementation of the NHS 2021-2025 as Zimbabwe progresses in the direction of UHC.
As well as, to strengthen the intra-ministerial and multi sectoral coordination MoHCC developed the Well being Sector Coordination Framework (HSCF). The latter’s primary goal is to coordinate shared effort by the MoHCC and all key stakeholders with a stake in financing, planning, and implementing well being associated interventions to maximise well being outcomes and finally attaining UHC.
Talking on behalf of WHO Zimbabwe Nation Consultant a.i Professor Jean-Marie Dangou, Dr Lincoln Charimari (Emergencies Incident Supervisor) famous, “WHO stays dedicated to assist Zimbabwe to attain UHC. The HRF and new methods are well timed interventions that may considerably contribute in the direction of constructing sustainable and resilient well being programs which may adequately reply to public well being emergencies and guarantee well being safety.”
