Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
Healthcare delivery is a cornerstone for economic development and remains a vital focus area for Zimbabwe, aligning with the country’s National Development Strategy One (NDS1) and Vision 2030.
2024 saw government making significant strides to bridge the healthcare gap between urban and rural areas, focusing on enhancing health infrastructure to ensure quality services for the citizenry.
Recognising the disparities in healthcare access, government launched a programme to expand rural health centers.
“The ministry has continued on infrastructure construction of various health centres in the country. We officially commissioned Runyararo in Manicaland and Mataga in the Midlands. The next four hospitals groundbreaking has already happened in Manhize, but we expect to also start the construction of Paradza Clinic in Masvingo. The four projects will be part of 2024 into 2025. We have completed construction of 94 pharmacy stores in the country. This will go a long way in enhancing the delivery of pharmaceutical products, drugs, commodities to the last mile.
“In addition, we’ve gone on to solarisation of our NATPHARM warehouses in Harare, Mutare and Masvingo. Most of our institutions in the rural areas which we had some solar batteries stolen have been replaced but we’ve also solarised through our partnership with UNDP. We have also embarked on borehole drilling on the clinics in our rural areas and together with the President’s borehole scheme of drilling more than 35,000 holes in the country, this will definitely enhance the WASH programme for our health sector,” Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Aspect Maunganidze said.
Dr Maunganidze emphasised the importance of universal health access, citing the World Health Organisation’s key deliverables.
“Universal health access is very important as one of the key deliverables through WHO and our country has to make sure that people reduce their walking distance to health centres, especially in the rural areas. Our intention is to reduce from 10 kilometres to 5 kilometres by 2030 and this involves building health posts. While our target is 6,600, we are now getting to 2,000 health posts in total that are built in the country. This will enhance at least access to a clinic or a health post that someone can be able to consult.
“In addition, vehicles that have been put in all our warehouses at NatPharm will be able to deliver right to where these health posts and these clinics are. We also want to reduce any leakages of drugs and commodities so that people can still be able not just to access a health provider, but to get the appropriate drugs and commodities from those institutions.”
As Zimbabwe continues to invest in healthcare infrastructure, the country is poised to revolutionise its health landscape, ensuring every citizen has the opportunity to live a healthier life.
