HARARE, Nov. 11 — Zimbabwean Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora on Tuesday underscored the need for innovative strategies to build sustainable domestic health financing amid declining donor support.
Speaking at the ministry’s strategic review and planning meeting in the city of Mutare, Manicaland Province, Mombeshora said the ministry seeks to build a resilient, high-performing health system through strengthening primary and community-based health care, boosting domestic health financing, and improving public health capacity and human resources, among other measures.
He said the ministry also seeks to harness digital health to improve health care delivery, adding that telemedicine, electronic health records and digital reporting systems will be central to building a high-performing health system in the country.
“Our vision is that Zimbabwe will have a health system that is locally owned and sustainable,” the minister said. “Our development partners’ guidance is vital as we shift toward sustainability and domestic ownership.”
He said that despite persistent challenges such as high neonatal mortality rate, frequent cholera outbreaks, service delivery gaps and procurement inefficiencies, the country has made notable progress in some areas, including improving life expectancy and declining maternal mortality. (Xinhua)
