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NewsDay

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Zim health sector sitting on health time bomb: Govt official

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THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has said it is sitting on a time bomb and warned of potential disaster in the health sector if donors are to withdraw funding.

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has said it is sitting on a time bomb and warned of potential disaster in the health sector if donors are to withdraw funding.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

Health-secretary-Gerald-Gwinji

Secretary for Health and Child Care, Gerald Gwinji, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care that more resources should be allocated to the ministry in the 2016 National Budget to reduce the current donor dependence.

“I would like to make a plea to say that we are not growing from government resources, and any growth we have is from partner funding. If that is withdrawn, it is a major disaster to the country. We need to invest more in health to avoid that,” Gwinji said.

“On the financial outlook, our 2015 expenditures are skewed towards employment costs, a trend which is projected to continue for the year 2016. The 2015 budget releases have been heavily depressed, with Treasury citing cashflow challenges during the year.”

A NatPharm representative, Roland Mlalazi, told a pre-budget hearing that since 2009, the State-owned entity has been unable to adequately supply affordable drugs to hospitals.

“The Ministry of Health has accumulated a $20 million debt to NatPharm. Our plea to government is for NatPharm to be re-capitalised so that it can go back to its mandate of procuring medicines for hospitals,” Mlalazi said.

Population Services Zimbabwe director for medical services Edmore Munongo said government should increase the family planning budget from 1,7% to 3% in accordance with the London 2012 Family Planning Summit.

Executive director of the Community Working Group on Health Itai Rusike said while introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme was a noble idea, it should be run by the Ministry of Health, and not the National Social Security Authority.

Rusike also said the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) was getting fiscal support and funding through the National Aids Council, yet the body was selling blood at exorbitant prices.

“NBTS is a private organisation tasked by government to manage our blood. Is it not time that they operate as a parastatal?” he asked.

“Yes, we know that blood has to be screened, but the price of blood should be the same as that in other countries in the region which is cheaper than the $130 per pint charged by NBTS. There is need for an investigation as to whether they are making profits or they have surplus from the sale of blood.”

Zimbabwe Medical Association president Agnes Mahomva said availability of blood was key in reducing maternal mortality.

Vulindlela Ndlovu of the Zimbabwe Association of Health Care Funders weighed in saying there was need for a new model of a health levy, or even to expand the Aids levy into a Health levy to improve the whole health sector.

Zimbabwe Association of Church Hospitals executive director Vuyelwa Sidile Chitimbire said there was need to increase tax revenue to 20% of gross domestic product to expand support on health services.

Christopher Kamwende of the Zimbabwe Civic Society Alliance said government should consider nutrition education across the country.