By Joyce Mukucha
The Ministries of Health and Child Care(MHoCC) and Finance and Economic Development (MoFED) have reiterated a compelling need to develop innovative ways of supporting the health sector to ensure that its value chain and all other sectors directly or indirectly are linked to health delivery are appropriately aligned to the national objective of efficient and quality health sector outputs.
In a statement, the two ministries said it is vital that private sector investment be taken on board in order to supplement Government’s determination to the expansion of the health sector infrastructure and other services in a bid to develop health delivery.
“The Government of Zimbabwe through the ministry of Health and Child Care (MHoCC) has over the decade made a deliberate decision to adopt strategies and policies that will accelerate the country’s ability to meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets with special emphasis on goal 3 which focuses on Good Health and Well-being for all citizens.
“In terms of ZIMASSET targets, Government targeted to improve provision of health services delivery by operationalizing up to 1, 500 heath centres in the period 2013-2018,”reads the statement.
According to the statement, demand infrastructure and facilities at the country’s health institutions has continued to increase, largely spurred by population growth and prevalence of some diseases against stunted investment in the sector due to fiscal constraints and economic challenges.
“Given the shortages of certain support infrastructure, the health sector also witnessed a spike in outward movement of critical staff as a result of unattractive employment conditions and these developments led to a worsening in the quality of healthcare delivery in the country.”
In response to these challenges, Government is prioritising additional investments required towards the construction of new hospitals, clinics, health centres and accommodation facilities for all workers in the health sector.
“The Ministries of Finance and Economic Development and Health and Child Care are therefore inviting interested private sector investors and other technical institution in healthcare to partner Government in the provision of infrastructure mainly in the form of accommodation and housing facilities for all heath personnel in Central Hospitals, Provincial hospitals, District hospitals, Clinics and Health Centres across the country,” the statement read.
Government is also geared towards promoting increased participation by private sector players in the provision of healthcare services and the required facilities through investment models, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) AND Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) in keeping with international trends.
The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) has been instructed by Government to attract private sector involvement in health sector to provide accommodation and administrative infrastructure.