Director’s Desk
Executive Director
Vuyelwa T. Sidile-Chitimbire
Zimbabwe, along with other African countries, has been grappling with significant public health challenges, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, work force shortages, access to essential medicines and commodities. Climate change, environmental changes, water and sanitation, and energy supplies have also contributed to epidemics and disease outbreaks compromising the quality-of-service delivery. Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe has made exceptional public health interventions and innovations to address the gap. The Ministry of Health and Child Care in collaboration with development partners, civil society organizations and other relevant sectors are working together to improve health care delivery through the National Health Strategy (2021–2025) which calls for efficiencies across sectors.
ZACH as one of the Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), is cognizant of the MOHCC strategies and make reference to all in terms of national health strategies and plays a significant role in public health, collaborating with other sector communities and local communities to manage current challenges, particularly in preventive services, using the Primary Health Care and people-centered approaches. Historically, FBOs have been recognized for their crucial role in communication, education, empowerment, humanitarian, basic service delivery, and capacity-building efforts including mobilizing communities to access health services and in addressing risky health behaviors. To revamp the health sector, resource localization, community capacitation, and empowerment are needed. Working closely with community-based organizations like ZACH, through churches, hospitals and clinics is essential to reach underserved communities. In our view, open and honest dialogues among key health players are crucial for gaining access to healthcare, attracting partners, business investors, and for developing meaningful strategies for recovery. The road to recovery is challenging, but concerted efforts can make a difference in Zimbabwe’s public health landscape.
ZACH is one such local partner that has forged the way in which such strategies have succeeded complimenting the Ministry of Health and Child Care and in advocating for strong collaboration with CSOs, partners and the faith sector.
I THANK YOU
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