Tag: CWGH

Calls Mount to Ringfence Zimbabwe’s Sugar Tax

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere With Zimbabwe introducing several taxes over the years to mobilize resources for the health sector, calls are growing to ringfence these funds to ensure they are used for their intended purposes. The recently introduced Fast Food Tax, aimed at tackling the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, follows the Sugar Tax, which was earmarked for cancer treatment. However, economists, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders at a Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) meeting on health financing held Friday have expressed concern that the Sugar Tax proceeds are yet to…

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2025 National Budget Fails to Prioritize Health Sector: CWGH Analysis

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The 2025 National Budget allocation for Zimbabwe’s health sector has raised significant concerns among health advocates and stakeholders, including the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH). With health expenditure shrinking in real terms, CWGH Executive Director Itai Rusike emphasized that the budget falls short of addressing the country’s critical health challenges, risking further strain on an already fragile system. Declining Health Expenditure The Ministry of Health and Child Care has been allocated ZiG28.3 billion (US$785.9 million) in 2025, representing 10.2% of the national budget, a decrease from…

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Calls on 2024 budget to prioritize health sector

Healthtimes

The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) held the pre-budget meeting in Harare yesterday where calls were made by different stakeholders for the increase of the 2024 Health budget. By Nthokozo Gudu Hwange Central Legislator, Hon MP Daniel Molokele  who is also the Chairman of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health said it was crucial to allocate the 15 percent of the national budget to health as is prescribed by the Abuja target. The growing demand for health services in the country owing to the increase in population and structural changes…

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When Facts Are Not Enough: COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Widening Gaps In Vaccine Confidence

Michael Gwarisa

“I was vaccinated because it was mandatory at work. I had two options, get vaccinated, or go home. I chose the former,” says Theresa Manongwa,* an employee with TelOne, one of Zimbabwe’s leading Telecommunications company. By Michael Gwarisa In July, 2021, TelOne, issued a statement announcing that it would send its unvaccinated staff on forced leave until the country’s COVID-19 situation had subsided. Caught between being sent on forced leave and the prospects of losing her job had the situation persisted, Theresa felt compelled to get her vaccine shots despite…

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CHWs boost trachoma prevention programme in Chiwundura

Healthtimes

Villagers in Chiwundura district in Midlands province have finally embraced a trachoma prevention programme after a massive awareness campaign by community health workers (CHWs) and local traditional leaders. By Caiphas Chimhete & Mandy Mathias The villagers had initially being suspicious of the government-driven programme following rumours and misinformation that trachoma prevention tablets caused serious side-effects. Trachoma is a preventable disease that affect the eyes, cause loss of vision and blindness and is most common in poor rural communities. Rumours were awash in the midlands district that the tablets caused blindness…

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UHC A Pipe-dream Without Increasing Per-Capita Spending On Healthcare

Kuda Pembere

ZIMBABWE’S per capita health spending is expected to increase by 100 percent from US$20 in 2022 to US$40 this year which however remains far less than what other countries are spending on their people, a leading health economist has said. By Kuda Pembere In a Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) 2023 budget analysis for the health sector, Dr Prosper Chitambara said the country is still spending less of its gross domestic product on health in comparison to other countries. Zimbabwe’s per capita spending on health is still about twice…

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Harare Tells Residents To Disinfect Both Borehole And Tape Water, As Cholera Closes In On Big Cities, Eight Provinces Record Deadly Diarrhoeal disease

Michael Gwarisa

WHAT started as a single suspected Cholera case in Chegutu a month ago, could soon become a full blown epidemic in Zimbabwe, amidst indications that only two out of the 10 administrative provinces in the country are yet to record confirmed cases of Cholera. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), eight provinces so have recorded cases of Cholera since the beginning of 2023, with cases in the eight provinces having no epidemiological link to each other. However, only Harare and Bulawayo have no…

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Zimbabwe Signs Tough Health Services Bill Into Law…Health Workers Who Call For Strike To Be Jailed 6 Months

Michael Gwarisa

DESPITE widespread condemnation of the Health Services Bill at consultation level, Zimbabwe has proceeded to sign the controversial Health Services Act into law. By Staff Reporter According to the new law, any individual who is a member of the governing body of any trade union or representative body of members of the Health Service which incites or organises any collective job action contrary to subsection shall be guilty of any an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 4 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six…

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Village Health Workers complain of paltry allowances

Kuda Pembere

Community village health workers are appealing to be recognised in the National Budget given they are usually sidelined on payment issues much to their displeasure. By Kudakwashe Pembere Formerly known as village health workers, these frontline health workers complain they last got their paltry allowances which come with deductions in 2019. Their call comes at a time the Health and Child Care Ministry has not been receiving from the Treasury the 15 percent of the national budget as espoused in the Abuja declaration which Zimbabwe signed up to. “When we…

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Trading the spanner for Universal Health Coverage…The meteoric rise of Itai Rusike into public health stardom

Michael Gwarisa

To many, he is just an ordinary human being and a health activist with a zeal for health issues. Some call him Wadyegora, a name synonymous with his Moyo or heart totem. Born during the liberation struggle in a place of rich mixed soils in Saruwe or Selous, Itai Josh Rusike’s or Mukoma Josh’s as he is known by many, knew at a tender age that he was destined for greatness on this earth. Over the years, Itai has grown into becoming one of the leading Public Health Voices in…

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