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Bongani Ndlovu–Bulawayo Bureau
THE Government in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO) is conducting a comprehensive analysis of the country’s health labour market, which will be aligned with the National Development Strategy (NDS1) 1 and Vision 2030 hinged on the provision of quality health services.
This emerged during a health labour market analysis (HLMA) workshop in Bulawayo whose aim is to develop an evidence-based training and development plan that reflects on the population’s needs and the health systems’ capacity.
Lately, the country has been hit by a critical shortage of specialist health professionals.
Officially opening the workshop yesterday, Health Services Board (HSB) acting executive director Mr Anglebert Mbengwa said the outcome of the process is crucial in providing critical information concerning the country`s health sector.
“The success of this health labour analysis will provide evidence and insight on the Zimbabwe population health needs, the health workforce issues and dynamics, particularly in the health labour market of Zimbabwe. Estimation of health workers should respond to the health service needs, the interaction and mismatches between supply and demand and needs including the financial feasibility and impact of different policy actions,” he said.
Mr Mbengwa said the analysis connects with National development Strategy 1.
“The WHO developed a healthy labour market framework, to guide the analysis of the health labour market and facilitate the development of appropriate policy actions premised upon the aspirations of the National Development Strategy 1, running from 2021 to 2025, and the national vision 2030,” he said.
The NDS1, which charts policies, institutional reforms and national priorities needed from 2021-2025 to achieve an upper middle-income economy under Vision 2030, was launched by President Mnangagwa in November 2020.
Under the NDS1, Government will use strategies such as implementing a single spine remuneration scheme for health care workers, providing adequate tools of the trade, instituting non-monetary incentives, implementing strategic rebranding of the health sector and strengthening the training of health professionals to international standards. The Government will also accelerate the restructuring of Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Health Service Board to be fit for purpose.
In a speech read on his behalf by WHO technical advisor for health workforce unit, Dr James Osanami, WHO Zimbabwe Representative, Dr Alex Gasasira said Zimbabwe has been consistent in its Universal Health Coverage (UHC) performance.
He commended the Government for taking necessary steps to address the various challenges confronting the health sector, particularly the health workforce, which is the backbone of health service delivery.
“Through the Health Service Board and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Government recently reviewed the National Human Resources for Health Policy, laying a clear policy direction toward having an adequate, well-trained and motivated health workforce for the attainment of the aspirations of the national health strategy, especially for UHC and sustainable development goals,” said Dr Gasasira.
“What is needed now is an evidence-informed implementation of the policy, which is led by the Government and mutually supported by all stakeholders, to realise the full tenets of the new policy.”
Dr Gasasira said in the African region, the latest UHC index is 46 out of a possible 100 with Zimbabwe having performed well.
“This means that only 46 percent of the health needs of the population of the region are being met with good quality services without an impoverishing effect on those that use them. In context, the global average is 68 percent and Africa’s score has improved from 24 percent in 2000 to the 46 percent,” he said.
Historically, Dr Gasasira said Zimbabwe has consistently performed above the African average, with an increasing UHC index from 32 percent in 2000 to currently 55 percent.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic affected Zimbabwe’s health sector and the workforce needed to be strengthened.
Dr Gasasira said for Zimbabwe’s health systems to fully recover from the adverse impact of the global pandemic and to adequately deliver on the promise of UHC, there is an urgent need for a renewed focus on the health workforce.
“Everyone has a role to play. Let’s renew our commitment to investing in the health workforce. It is in this spirit that WHO is closely working with the Government in collaboration with other partners,” he said.
“We are using the HLMA to generate evidence to inform the development of a new human resources for health strategy and sustainable investment plan to address some of the longstanding challenges such as the shortage of health workers, unequal distribution, excessive migration and concerns regarding working conditions, among others.”
Online Reporter