The government of Zimbabwe on Wednesday launched the 2016- 2020 National Health Strategy, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the country’s national health delivery systems and disease response mechanisms.
Speaking during the launch of the national strategy in Murehwa on Wednesday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the launch of the Health Strategy lays out the health agenda for 2016-2020 taking into account the broader policy of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The National Health Strategy of 2016-2020 is derived from the national vision, the ZimAsset and provides a framework for attaining a health and health related goals and objectives.
“It assumes the spirit of our economic blueprint which seeks to attain quick wins and is structured around Results Based Management system that focuses on a clear vision , mission, values , key results areas ,goals and objectives,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
He added that apart from the past strategies, the NHS is complemented by a detailed monitoring and evaluation framework that will be used to assess progress through mid-term and end-term evaluation.
Parirenyatwa added that the newly launched health strategy is in tandem with the constitution’s mandate that aims at the provision of primary health care to every person.
“As enshrined in the Constitution in Section 77 that every person has a right to basic primary health care, the National Health Strategy aims to compliment that provision by making sure that everyone gets basic health care,” Dr Parirenyatwa added.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization launched its Country Cooperation Strategy for 2016-2020 which will spell out their broad strategic agenda over the next five years.
“The Country Cooperation Strategy will give priority to five key areas which include achieving and sustaining universal health coverage through a revitalized primary health care, accelerating achievements of the unfinished Millennium Development Goals relating to maternal , new born, child and adolescent mortality and strengthening sexual and reproductive health.
“The strategy will also aim at reducing further the burden of AIDS ,tuberculosis , malaria , neglected tropical diseases, hepatitis and other communicable diseases as well as strengthening and re-orienting health and health related systems to address the prevention, control Non Communicable Diseases,” said WHO Country Representative for Zimbabwe Dr David Okello.
According to Okello, the Country Cooperation Strategy will aim to strengthen preparedness, surveillance and effective response to disease outbreaks, acute public health emergencies and the effective management of health related aspects of humanitarian disasters in order to improve health security.
United Nation Resident Coordinator Bishow Parajuli who also attended the national health strategy launch, paid homage to the Zimbabwean government for fighting child mortalities and HIV/AIDS which has seen more than one million people receiving free HIV treatment.
Parajuli added that much attention should be given to providing a good health delivery service as creating a healthy nation is creating a wealthy nation.
