The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has expressed concern over the declining funding allocated to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, as Treasury only allocated nine percent for 2024, once again failing to meet the stipulated 15 percent set by the Abuja Declaration.
In 2001, the African Union member states signed the Abuja Declaration, thereby pledging to allocate at least 15 percent of their national budgets each year to improving their healthcare systems.
Fulfilling this pledge remains a challenge for some African countries, with Zimbabwe failing to allocate that 15 percent over the last five years.
The closest Zimbabwe came to receiving that much was in 2020 when it was allocated 13 percent reportedly due to efforts made to fight Covid-19 virus while in 2023, the Health Ministry received 11 percent.
For 2024, out of a ZWL$58.2 trillion national budget, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube gave the Health and Child Care Ministry only ZWL$6.3 trillion, which is 9.2 percent, about 6 percent less than what is required by the Abuja declaration.
“Mr Speaker Sir, the 2024 National Budget seeks to consolidate recovery of public health sector services, across all levels of health care, through provision of the requisite tools of trade such as adequate working space, manpower, drugs and medical supplies across the value chain. In this regard, an amount of Z$6.3 trillion has been allocated towards the Ministry of Health and Child Care,” said the finance minister who noted that the Treasury only had Z$58.2 trillion in its purse against a required ZWL$110 trillion when in presenting the budget in November.
In response to the budgetary allocations, BPRA Secretary for Education Benny Moyo said the amount allocated to the Ministry of Health was worrying as it was inadequate.
“We get concerned because the recent budget that has been made to the Minister of Health does not meet the minimum standards, which African countries agreed to, according to the Abuja Declaration. The Ministry of Health should be allocated at least 15 percent of the budget which is the standard,” he said at an engagement between residents and police recently held at the Bulawayo Media Centre.
Moyo said for the past five years, Zimbabwe has not met that requirement yet the public health system needed more funding to provide quality care.
“Zimbabwe did not meet that standard this year and for the past five years as well because we residents, we have been monitoring. It has not been met. So when we have accidents over the festive season and the Minister of Health can’t cope we become concerned because the allocation that has been given to the Minister is not adequate. It does not meet the Abuja Declaration to which our government is part to,” Moyo said.
