The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development must prioritise the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) in its budget allocation to ensure that there is sufficient medication in the health sector.
NatPharm is a parastatal under the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC)which is involved in procurement, warehousing and distribution of medicines and medical supplies.
The health sector was allocated ZiG28.3 billion, which is equivalent to US$785.9 million. The amount is 11.8 percent of the total budget, a slight increase from the previous year’s allocation which was 11 percent.
However, according to the Abuja Declaration, the government must allocate at least 15 percent of its total budget to the health sector.
Luveve-Makhandeni constituency MP, Discent Bajila, who sits on the health committee, said the sector needs at least 17 million to buy adequate medicines.
“The first thing that the Finance Minister must do is to disburse the Health Budget fully. Allocating resources only to refuse to disburse them is an act of grandstanding and sabotage. Sabotaging healthcare is genocide. Secondly, more focus should be in capacitating NATPHARM to meet the country’s monthly needs for medicines,”said Bajila.
“SIRDC also needs to be capacitated to conduct health research using local Contemporary samples. Lastly, access to sexual and reproductive health services needs lots of attention for Zimbabwe to make its contribution to the elimination of HIV/AIDS.”
The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) noted that the resources earmarked for health are not sufficient to finance the attainment of the policy goals and objectives stated in the National Health Strategy (NHS) (2021 – 2025), as outlined in the Investment Case for the NHS (2021-2025).
“The allocation falls short of the bare minimum of earmarking at least 15% of the budget to health as agreed under the Abuja Declaration. The 2025 National Budget will be unable to fund the country’s monthly requirements for medicines. Our people will continue to rely on hope and religion for their healing needs,” ZIMCODD stated.
