Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Senior Health Reporter
ZIMBABWE has been recognised for its leadership in steering the World Health Organisation’s Programme Budget and Administration Committee, amid growing global focus on strengthening governance, accountability and sustainable financing within international health systems.
This comes as Health and Child Care Secretary, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, recently received an award from the global body for successfully chairing the committee over the past year and for leading the body through a record-breaking session this week.
Dr Maunganidze is in Geneva where he chaired the WHO executive board’s PBAC meeting from May 12 to 15 ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly, which begins today.
The PBAC is a key committee that supports the WHO Executive Board through reviewing the Organisation’s programme budget, financial oversight, governance, administration and human resources matters, while also making recommendations aimed at strengthening efficiency, accountability and transparency within the global health body.
Speaking at the end of the 44th PBAC meeting, Dr Maunganidze commended delegates for their cooperation and consensus-building during discussions.
“I would like to use this opportunity to deeply appreciate the constructive and collaborative spirit of PBAC members, which has allowed us to reach agreement on many issues in the past three days,” he said.
Dr Maunganidze said the committee had managed to provide clear recommendations to both the 79th World Health Assembly and the 159th executive board meeting on key issues related to financing and implementation of the programme budget, human resources, audit, compliance and evaluation matters.
WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said the organisation had managed to remain financially stable despite funding challenges affecting many global institutions.
