Dr Gwinji: the Zimbabwean Diaspora has a role to play in the health sector
Dr Gerald Gwinji, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe, tells ZimHealth that the Diaspora can help to solve problems in the country’s health sector. Dr Gwinji was interviewed by ZimHealth’s publicity team in January 2012 when he visited Geneva to attend a World Health Organization meeting.
“We are coming out of a crisis and Government is stretched to the limit in addressing problems in the health sector,” Dr Gwinji said. “Gaps exist. This is where our partners, such as ZimHealth and others in the Diaspora, can play a role. Both locally and internationally, many organisations are making an effort to help us to address the problems; depending on the strength of these organisations, there is scope for them to make an impact. We need all hands on deck.”
One of ZimHealth’s strong points, Dr Gwinji added, was how the organisation responded to needs on the ground which had been identified at the service provision level. “I am happy that ZimHealth leaves it to the leaders of local health services to define what is required, and then responds to those needs.” Celebration Health was among several other NGOs and church organisations commended by Dr Gwinji for working in partnership, both with medical personnel in Zimbabwe and with multi-national corporations, to respond to needs on the ground. “One of the Christian organisations is about to deliver a mobile clinic. Another body is doing a lot of good work in upgrading water and sanitation services. Smaller things also make a big difference.”
Dr Gwinji was guest of honour at a City of Masvingo ceremony on 16 December 2011 to hand over a consignment from ZimHealth to two primary health care clinics, Rujeko clinic and Runyararo clinic, and one polyclinic, the Mucheke Mazoredze Polyclinic. The ZimHealth consignment included medical and surgical equipment, an autoclave, bed linen and electrical goods such as a washing machine and a spin dryer. “The best message I can pass on to ZimHealth about this handover ceremony was the appreciation, visible appreciation, of their donation, at the local level.”
Describing the ceremony as a “wonderful occasion”, Mr Zvapano Munganasa, Masvingo City Council’s Chief Health Officer, said in a telephone interview with ZimHealth: “This good gesture makes a very positive difference; the mothers coming to our clinics to give birth are comfortable now.” He added that Zimbabweans abroad, as well as sending money to their own families, might also serve the health of their sisters and brothers by sending money through an organisation such as ZimHealth. “This shows they are thinking of home and would help to buy equipment for clinics which helps everyone, not just one family.”
In his speech, the mayor of Masvingo, Alderman F. Chakabuda, promised that the items donated by ZimHealth in a “wonderful gesture” would be put to good use in the city’s clinics. In turn, in his address at the handover ceremony, Dr Gwinji said his Ministry would “always facilitate the delivery (of ZimHealth donations) through the granting of duty-free certificates to the donated items”.
While organisations such as ZimHealth are making an impact, inter-governmental initiatives such as the Health Transition Fund (HTF) have the potential to reverse the recent deterioration in Zimbabwe’s health services. The HTF is a multi-donor pooled fund, managed by UNICEF, to support the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe to revitalise the health sector.
The focus of the HTF is on improving maternal and child health but in his interview in Geneva, Dr Gwinji stressed this could not happen in isolation. Reforms in four key spheres were essential. “We need to ask who the critical people to make this happen are. Are they fully supported? We need a very targeted human resources strategy. We need stronger governance. Good health and financial management policies need to be put in place.” Dr Gwinji said reform efforts will be concentrated in four areas: on maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition; on ensuring good supply and availability of medicines and commodities; on a strong human resources and training policy; and on sound health policy, planning and financial management.
Removing user fees for children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women is a key strategy of the HTF, Dr Gwinji said. “Services to these people are supposed to be free. That is government policy. On a practical level, however, the challenges we face have necessitated the introduction of user fees. Not huge by international standards, at a local level they can nevertheless serve as a significant barrier for many people to access care.” Dr Gwinji pointed out that in addition to the HTF, US$10 million had been allocated in the country’s 2012 budget to remove user fees. This would not be easy, he acknowledged, as fees were currently charged not only at national level but by rural and local authorities as well. “However, our target is to make significant progress by the end of 2012.”
As the Zimbabwe Diaspora became better organised, it could contribute more to health development efforts collectively, in a more meaningful way than as individuals, he said. “There is always room for focused interventions in areas that have been identified locally. I’m referring to the type of projects that ZimHealth has undertaken in Masvingo, in Bulawayo and at Edith Opperman in Harare. Where local partners can take care of the infrastructure, then the Diaspora could make complementary efforts by supplying some equipment which may be lacking.” Dr Gwinji added that he would encourage all members of the Zimbabwe Diaspora to support ZimHealth, “to the fullest extent”.
