Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is on course to realise improved reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health for all.
This is due to positive collaborations and help with resources that have contributed to improved service delivery, in line with the National Development strategy 1.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care yesterday received an assortment of reproductive health equipment, supplies and essential medicines valued at US$9,2 million, that is expected to further improve maternal health service provision.
The commodities were procured through the Health Resilience Fund, which benefits from financial contributions under the coordination of the Ministry of Health and Child Care. It is meant to improve health care for vulnerable mothers, new-borns, children and adolescents in Zimbabwe.
It’s funding partners are the European Union, the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance, with UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO as the technical partners of the Fund.
Speaking at the handover ceremony for the equipment and supplies yesterday, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini, who was representing Minister Douglas Mombeshora, said the supplies would go a long way in enhancing service delivery in line with the National Health Strategy 2021-2025.
This was being realised through strategic partnerships and collaborations such as the resilience fund. “The Health Resilience Fund is a powerful example of how strategic partnerships can drive sustainable improvements in healthcare delivery, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for all,” Dep Minister Kwidini said.
“Since its inception in 2022, the HRF, which runs up to 2025, has recorded major milestones and successes that consolidate the gains of the Health Development Fund. This reflects the operational effectiveness and efficiency of partnerships and collaboration, based on the fundamentals of good corporate governance which shun any form of malpractices, but champion targeted interventions.
“I am glad to highlight that there has been notable improvement in key health outcomes such as maternal mortality ratio. I urge us all to continue working hard to save our children and mothers as well as the entire population.”
The resilience fund supports three health pillars: ending preventable maternal, newborn, child and adolescent deaths; global health security; and health systems strengthening.
The equipment and supplies handed over to the Government include anaesthetic machines, operating theatre tables, neonatal incubators, phototherapy machines, ICT equipment, fistula kits, manual vacuum aspiration kits, anti-shock garments, as well as essential medicines used before, during and after delivery.
Health Resilience Fund co-chair, Mr Dumisani Msimanga, said the fund’s target populations were women, adolescent girls and children who were at risk of being left behind in provision of basic essential health services.
“The HRF places a strong emphasis on sustainable and long-lasting investments that will stay on, well after the end of the programme, and what we are witnessing today is a good example. It will be good to walk into a health facility and still be able to say, ‘Together, we achieved this.’”
Mr Msimanga said the equipment had been identified by the Government to address critical gaps in the delivery of health services.
He encouraged recipient health facilities to make good use of the equipment and supplies and ensure the target populations had the maximum benefits.
Unicef country representative Dr Nicholas Alipui said it was important to ensure that every child, regardless of their background or circumstance, had access to quality healthcare and a chance to reach their full potential.
“Maternal, new-born and child survival depend crucially on the availability of essential medicines, nutrition commodities and other life-saving equipment. The handover we are here to witness is, as such, another demonstration of the commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe, the Health Resilience Fund, and sister UN system colleagues to work together to bridge any equity gaps in ensuring availability and access to life-saving medicines, commodities, and equipment for children here in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Dr Alipui encouraged the Government to continue increasing domestic financing for essential medicines while enhancing the capacity of the local pharmaceutical industry to rise to the challenge of sustainable provision of essential medicines.
UNFPA country representative Ms Miranda Tabifor said the supplies were crucial to maintain the gains already registered by Zimbabwe to improve reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health.
“The procurement of these lifesaving health commodities and equipment will further improve on these indicators to align to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal targets. Some of these supplies and medicines are used in the implementation and management of key high impact interventions and innovations under HRF that are being promoted by UNFPA, WHO and partners.
Natpharm board chair Ms Ruth Kaseke said the receipt of the commodities was a testament of the Government’s commitment to ensure quality healthcare for all citizens in line with the country’s vision of achieving an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
“As NatPharm, in line with our mandate, we have been storing medical supplies equipment here, however, it is not expected that once this equipment has been handed over we will keep them stored at Natpharm for long. It is expected that the Ministry will avail a distribution list to Natpharm for the distribution of the equipment to facilities,” she said.
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