A panel comprising representatives from ICRC and HCC led by a health economist, Shepherd Shamu, and including two public health specialists, Tawanda Marufu and Jaconia Chirenda, recently conducted a study. It concluded that the withdrawal of support by ICRC would have an adverse impact on health service delivery.
“ICRC was contributing 35 percent to the city’s health drugs and medical supplies’ annual budget and there will be a significant funding gap when ICRC pulls out in 2013,” revealed the study. Because of the withdrawal of support, HCC has vowed to retain user fees and engage the ministry of health and child welfare to increase funding from the fiscus and the multi-partner Health Transition Fund.
The Director of Health Services, Stanley Mungofa, revealed that ICRC provided profound and diverse assistance to the city’s health services.
“ICRC facilitated the purchase and installation of eight medical waste incinerators and power backup system at the 12 polyclinics that included invertors and generators and the supply of medical equipment that included baby resuscitators, delivery beds, clinic furniture and funding the department’s strategic planning process,” he said.
Post published in: News