Maternal services improve
THE Government has commended its development partners in the health sector for aiding it in increasing coverage and quality of an integrated maternal health services by strengthening the nation’s Covid-19 response with a US$25 million lifeline.
The financial injection has seen improved Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services in the country.
Secretary for Health and Child Care Air Commodore (Dr) Jasper Chimedza told journalists at a media orientation and sensitisation meeting on the Results Based Financing for the Health Sector Development Support Project Additional Financing that the project was made possible through support from the World Bank and the Global Financing Facility that pledged US$25 million while the Government of Zimbabwe committed US$24,6 million towards increasing coverage and quality of an integrated package of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N).
“The Health Sector Development Support Project has contributed to the significant progress over the past decade as witnessed by the success of the Results Based Financing (RBF) programme in Zimbabwe. The RBF programme was launched in two districts and subsequently scaled up to 16 additional districts and now reaches a total of 60 districts,” he said.
Dr Chimedza said based on successful implementation and positive results, the Government decided to institutionalise RBF in the health sector.
“To demonstrate Government commitment, Treasury is fully financing RBF subsidies for 18 rural districts, which were previously supported by the World Bank under the Health Sector Development Support Project (HSDSP).
“I would like to acknowledge other development partners who are financing the 42 districts through the Health Development
Fund (HDF).
In 2020, the HDF contributed a total of USD12 million to the RBF programme. The RBF programme was extended to support an urban component and demand-side maternal health voucher scheme that targets the poorest households to reduce financial barriers to accessing high impact Maternal and Child (MCH) services while improving the quality of health services in Zimbabwe’s two largest cities (Harare and Bulawayo). To date, through the Urban Voucher component of the program a total of 35 facilities have been contracted to provide services to our poor pregnant women in the two cities,” he said.
RBF is aligned with and supports the National Health Strategy and Policy pushing for equity in access to health services. The RBF Urban Voucher Programme is a financing mechanism that protects the poor pregnant women from financial catastrophe in accessing health services.
It’s aligned to the National Health Strategy and Policy to enhance equity in access to health services. Bulawayo City Council Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Sibanda said the Urban Voucher system was in use in the city.
“Before the programme women who could not afford the maternity user fees would resort to home deliveries. First pilot was conducted on the city’s six clinics under the Nkulumane district in 2014 and it focused on improving access of maternal and child health services to the population and strengthening the quality of care in the health institutions,” he said.
Dr Sibanda said the voucher allows a pregnant woman four antenatal care visits, delivery and related complications (including Caesarean section), Postnatal Care (PNC) up to the sixth postnatal week, ambulance services, family planning services, Vitamin A supplementation and sexual gender based violence Post Exposure Prophylaxis.
He said all districts now have access to the voucher for any poor pregnant women and explained how the system works. —@ NyembeziMu