Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
THE Government is stepping up efforts to strengthen the health sector through a robust financing strategy, as external donor support continues to decline.
Speaking at the High-Level Health Development Partners Coordination Forum in Harare, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said building a resilient and efficient healthcare system remains a national priority.
“We meet at a time when we are driving ambitious reforms in health financing. We are on track to submit the National Health Insurance Bill to Parliament this month, to finalise it before year-end.
“This is a major step toward creating a predictable funding mechanism that pools resources and ringfences levies and taxes for health. Our goal is simple: every dollar allocated to health must translate into better health outcomes for our citizens.
“Looking ahead, the Government is developing the National Development Strategy 2 and the next National Health Strategy. I urge all partners to participate actively in these processes so that our health priorities are clearly defined, strategically aligned, and adequately resourced as we move toward Vision 2030,” he said.
United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator His Excellency Edward Kallon commended the country’s strides towards a solid health finance strategy.
“The UN recognises the Ministry’s efforts towards establishing a National Health Insurance scheme, which presents a promising pathway to sustainable health financing. We hope this future rollout will adopt a phased and inclusive approach grounded in robust technical design, transparent governance practices, and active engagement of all stakeholders to ensure long-term success and maintain public trust,” he noted.
Development director and deputy British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Joe Abbott, affirmed development partners’ continued support.
“We remain partners, and we remain willing to support in whatever way we can. International financing is changing, yes, but we are still able to provide technical support, share lessons learned and expertise from around the world, and provide that kind of leverage for service delivery on a declining basis as the Government of Zimbabwe steps in.
“May I restate the commitment of all the development partners in this room to continue working with the Government of Zimbabwe, with you, and all the other partners to improve health outcomes in Zimbabwe, and we look forward to a continued partnership,” he added.
Infrastructure development, advancing the digital health agenda, and meeting the funding commitments of the health workforce compact are some of the priority areas the government is advancing.
