The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
THE year 2019 started off with marathon meetings between Government and leaders of junior and middle level doctors who had been on an industrial action for over a month.
The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was to meet the doctors at State House where the professionals pledged to work out a win-win plan with their employer.
While the talks with doctors continued, Government undertook a recruitment exercise of more doctors.
But as soon as the situation in hospitals began to normalise, drug prices in pharmacies began soaring.
Local currency prices for drugs escalated in what was seen as a deliberate move by some pharmacies to drive patients into purchasing the medicines using foreign currency.
Government, then moved in announcing plans to set up National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) retail pharmacies, in a bid to avail drugs sold in local currency.
President Mnangagwa, through his re-engagement exercise was also able to acquire equipment and surgical sundries from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for public hospitals.
Parliament also initiated processes for the establishment of a pharmaceutical caucus — that would deliberate on pharmaceutical sector-specific policies, with sights on heightening local drug manufacturing to improve general access to medicines.
This was upon realisation that Zimbabwe imported about 80 percent of its medicine and medical sundries, some of which could be manufactured locally.
At least 60 percent of the imported medicines are from India, while the remainder comes from South Africa, Germany and the United States.
To help boost the country’s health sector, international financiers also expressed interest in pouring capital.
In March last year, Government met Abbott Laboratories, an American company, which has created a new HIV viral load-testing device that is envisaged to cut operational costs in public health institutions by producing results in less than two hours.
Patients usually get their blood samples taken at local health centres, sent to central laboratories for analysis.
Results are only available for collection after several days.
The integration of testing services at local health institutions was seen as instrumental in the realisation of UNAids and Government’s 90-90-90 targets, which extend to a global goal to eradicate Aids by 2030.
In June, a group of 19 American firms in the health sector pledged US$400 million in investment commitments to Zimbabwe.
Representatives from some of the firms had a chance to meet Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency chairman Dr Washington Mbizvo in Harare.
Stanley Brothers Biotech and Waters Corp, both big corporates in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, committed resources to medical marijuana research and production and the latest medical technology, respectively.
In August, Waters Corp donated US$500 000 worth of medical research equipment to advance local studies in medical marijuana and to conduct quality assurance tests on drugs imported or manufactured locally.
The donation was made to the University of Zimbabwe’s international pharmacology specialty laboratory located at the Medicine Control Authority of Zimbabwe.
This development is expected to save the country millions of dollars annually.
Despite the positive developments, last year was marred by chaotic industrial action pursuits by critical health sector personnel.
Since July, Harare City Council nurses have been reporting for duty for fewer days than normal, citing financial incapacitation.
Some junior and middle level doctors in public hospitals also stopped reporting for duty on 3 September.
Government has been in several back and forth engagements with the professionals since then.
Their salary has since been increased three times by over 120 percent.
But the doctors remained adamant, demanding a US Dollar interbank exchange rate-pegged salary which Government says it cannot afford.
Over 500 doctors were later fired for disobeying a Labour Court order to return to work.
However, President Mnangagwa extended a reprieve for all those wishing to return to work.
In addition, Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa and his wife Tsitsi, through their Higher Life Foundation, came on board offering doctors a $10 million fellowship facility.
The fellowship lasts six months and a total of 362 doctors were accepted.
At the end of the year, the health sector was allocated $6,5 billion in the 2020 National Budget.
But public health expert, Mr Ital Rusike feels the allocation is still not enough.
“The Government should prioritise the country’s health delivery system and allocate at least 15 percent of its national budget to the health sector as per the Abuja Declaration of 2001 or 5 percent of the country’s GDP.
“If the country’s national budget cannot adequately fund healthcare provision, then there is a need to find other innovative health financing strategies to domestically fund this important sector,” he said.
Mr Rusike said although strikes by health sector personnel are not to be condoned, it was important that they get satisfactory remuneration.
It is hoped that 2020 will bring with it an improvement in general healthcare.
