By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, the Minister of Health and Child Care, reassured the nation that there would be no disruption in service delivery to Zimbabweans living with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, despite the recent freeze on funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He said this during a press conference held in Harare yesterday.
This announcement comes as a relief to many who rely on these critical health services.
“USAID saves Zimbabwean lives, and we remain committed to ensuring that those in need continue to receive the necessary treatment,” Dr. Mombeshora stated.
The Minister elaborated on a new initiative aimed at transitioning all health workers to be directly employed by the Ministry of Health.
This decision addresses accountability issues stemming from uncertainty regarding health workers previously employed by NGOs and other partner organizations.
“At times, when these workers were not at their posts, we did not know their whereabouts,” he explained.
To mitigate any disruption to service delivery during this transition, the Ministry has implemented a redeployment strategy to ensure that no facility is solely staffed by employees funded by external partners.
“Although we experienced some disruption in the initial days, we acted quickly to redeploy nurses and other personnel to cover all necessary areas,” Dr. Mombeshora said.
He pointed out that doctors and staff involved in laboratory services and administration have also resumed their duties, thanks to a waiver allowing clinical staff to return to work.
“This includes nurses directly involved in patient treatment and doctors who were interrupted from their hospital roles,” he added.
Transportation of lab supplies and delivery of medications to clinics, especially in rural areas, have been additional challenges. The Minister reported that several trucks from the national pharmaceutical company, known as NatPharm, had temporarily ceased operations but are now back in service, along with their drivers.
“Our motorbikes used for transportation are also operational again, ensuring that essential services continue,” he confirmed.
Though there remain procurement issues, the Minister assured the public that sufficient stocks of medicines for HIV, AIDS, TB, and malaria have been procured to last until the end of June.
However, the delivery of subsequent supplies meant to cover from the end of June through the end of the year has been halted.
The Ministry anticipates the results of a 90-day review period.
In addressing these procurement challenges, Dr. Mombeshora emphasized that the Ministry is actively mobilizing resources.
“We are procuring medicines to ensure coverage from June through the end of September. There will be no disruption or shortage of medicines for those receiving treatment for HIV and AIDS,” he stated.
He urged the public not to panic or hoard supplies, affirming, “We are committed to ensuring that patient care remains uninterrupted.”
This proactive approach from the Ministry aims to maintain health services for thousands of Zimbabweans relying on them during these challenging times.