Source: Zimbabwe launches EU-funded National Public Health Institute -Newsday Zimbabwe
THE Health and Child Care ministry has launched the National Public Health Institute aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.
The project’s inception was made possible through a US$4,3 million grant from the European Union.
Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora said the establishment of the institute marked a new era in Zimbabwe’s health system.
He said the National Public Health Institute would work hand-in-hand with several government ministries to ensure a co-ordinated approach to health-related issues that cut across various sectors.
“The National Public Health Institute is not an isolated entity,” he said.
“It will collaborate with other ministries whose work affects or is affected by public health.
“This will allow us to have a comprehensive and unified response to challenges that impact the wellbeing of our people.”
Mombeshora said the institute would also serve as a centre for scientific research and evidence-based policy formulation.
“Through this institute, we will be able to conduct research that guides us on how best to tackle emerging and persistent health issues,” he said.
The Health minister added that the creation of the National Public Health Institute aligned Zimbabwe with other countries in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region that had established similar institutions.
He said that demonstrated the country’s commitment to regional and global health standards.
“This is not the first of its kind in the world. Many countries in the Sadc region have already set up national public health institutes and we are proud to join them in this effort. It is a crucial step that will help us to shape the future of our health system,” Mombeshora said.
He commended the European Union for its financial support, saying the funding made it possible to host the inception meeting and lay the groundwork for the institute’s operations.
The government, he said, would continue to work with development partners to strengthen Zimbabwe’s health infrastructure and improve service delivery.
“This initiative is about ensuring that our health sector is not just reactive, but proactive, able to anticipate risks and prepare for them.”
Zimbabwe’s health delivery sector suffers from years of under-funding and neglect, resulting in public hospitals running without medicine and drugs.
A massive exodus of health professionals, quitting their jobs in search of greener pastures, has added to the crisis.
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