Staff Correspondent
Action Aid has partnered Harare Institute of Public health (HIPH), a local public health training institute.
With support from the organization, HIPH held a two-day Public Health Symposium in Harare last week.
The event brought together health experts, policy makers, government departments and ministries, women’s, youths’ organizations, academia, universities, private sector players, traditional and faith-based organizations and other key stakeholders in the public health value chains to discuss health systems strengthening in Zimbabwe.
The symposium ran under the theme: All Stakeholder Engagement: Key to Health Systems Strengthening- “Taking Stock”.
Addressing delegates at the official opening ceremony, Action Aid, Head of programmes and resource mobilization, Dr. Andrew Chikowore acknowledged some challenges affecting provision of quality healthcare in Zimbabwe.
Chikowore said “. . . among them is Poor public resources management systems and corruption which continues to cripple healthcare sector whilst deepening inequality.”
When public funding for health falls, it is the citizens who will cover the gap through out-of-pocket payments, Chikowore said “this is not sustainable given the low disposable income in the country and unpredictability of donor support”.
However, Dr Chikowore commended Harare Institute of Public health for providing stakeholders space to reflect and take stock of health delivery systems in the country.
Chikowore emphasized that the public health symposium is a grand opportunity to establish linkages between government, private sector and civil society.
“Let us find innovative ways to create spaces for policy recommendations and sustained dialogue which will influence quality and gender responsive public health services,” he said.
“Action Aid believes the 1st edition of the public health Symposium will forge ways and recommendations to ensure efficient and effective partnerships which will impact positively on provision of health care,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, Principal of Harare Institute of Public Health, Dr. Amos Marume said the platform provides stakeholders in the public health value chains with opportunities to focus on challenges and solutions.
“Institutions of higher learning are pertinent in national development processes, as such
Harare Institute of Public health is committed to harnessing home-grown solutions to our public health challenges”.
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