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Herald Reporter
The Health and Child Care ministry and Zim Afro will this week hold a three-day medical and health expo to facilitate communication between stakeholders in the sector and the public.
Health advisor to the President and Cabinet, and Zim Afro partner Dr Timothy Stamps said the expo’s main objective was to bring together Government and the private sector with a view to improving service delivery.
“As Government we have been guilty of downplaying the contribution made by the private sector in the health field and they have in turn lost interest in us but the truth on the ground is that we need each other.
“Our ultimate aim is primary health care for all. I am happy that the new Constitution has a provision for health for all regardless of whether you afford or not. We should, however, recognise that providing health services needs money and the Government cannot do it alone. No government in the world can do it; even the United Kingdom tried it and failed, he said.
Dr Stamps said it was worrying that an increase in medical service charges had caused a demarcation between services provided to the underpaid and to those who can afford.
“This is a consequence of our ignorance of the private sector. I was ridiculed for calling for health for all by the year 2000, a goal we did not achieve. I still feel it can be achieved through working together,” he said.
Online Reporter