HARARE, Dec. 20 — Zimbabwean Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora on Friday emphasized the need for innovative domestic resource mobilization strategies to strengthen the provision of sexual and reproductive health services in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) Board in Harare, the country’s capital, Mombeshora highlighted the importance of sexual and reproductive health services, noting that some contraceptive methods play an important role in HIV prevention.
“The changing financing landscape should serve as a catalyst for ZNFPC to develop sustainable, locally driven solutions that ensure continuity of services,” Mombeshora said.
“I urge the board and management to prioritize innovative approaches to the provision of barrier methods of contraception, which play a dual and critical role not only in preventing unintended pregnancies, but also as frontline tools in the prevention of HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections,” he said.
He added that protecting gains in HIV prevention while advancing reproductive health remains both a public health and economic imperative for Zimbabwe.
“Resource mobilization, therefore, remains central to your mandate. Innovation, partnerships and diversified financing are no longer optional. I urge proactive engagement with government, the private sector, communities and development partners to safeguard access to essential services,” the minister added.
The ZNFPC is a government-owned entity mandated to coordinate the provision of family planning, sexual and reproductive health services. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
