Civil Society Calls for Cost-effective Health Delivery
Health & Fitness Main News

Civil Society Calls for Cost-effective Health Delivery

Government can only improve the quality of the health delivery system through implementing cost- effective and efficient interventions in light of the current financial challenges it is facing, the civil society has said. Analysing the health vote from the National Budget announced by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa recently, Community Working Group on Health executive director Mr Itai Rusike said only 6,3 percent of the National Budget was allocated to health – far below the 15 percent stipulated by the Abuja regional commitment.

Zimbabwe is a signatory to this commitment, which stipulates that all member countries allocate at least 15 percent of the total Budget towards health services.

“In light of the above, the CWGH also believes that inas- much as the fiscal space is constrained, the Ministry of Health should also improve the quality of its expenditures through implementing cost- effective and efficient interventions,” said Mr Rusike.

He said in this regard, Government should therefore strengthen its principle on results based management.

Government has failed continuously to allocate at least 15 percent of the National Budget towards health with allocations decreasing each year.

In the 2014 Budget, MoHCC was allocated US$337 million excluding constitutional and statutory obligations – accounting for 8,2 percent of the National Budget – less than the 9,87 percent allocated in 2013.

This year, Treasury allocated about US$377 million, including constitutional and statutory provisions, accounting for 6,3 percent of the National Budget.

Unlike in previous years, where the Health Ministry received the second highest allocation, this year, it’s on fifth position after the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education; Home Affairs; Defence; and Higher and Tertiary Education.

“Hence, the CWGH believes that universal health coverage can only be achieved by increasing domestic resources allocated to MoHCC,” said Mr Rusike.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *