NatPharm
is
a
parastatal
under
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care
(MoHCC)which
is
involved
in
procurement,
warehousing
and
distribution
of
medicines
and
medical
supplies.
The
health
sector
was
allocated
ZiG28.3
billion,
which
is
equivalent
to
US$785.9
million.
The
amount
is
11.8
percent
of
the
total
budget,
a
slight
increase
from
the
previous
year’s
allocation
which
was
11
percent.
However,
according
to
the
Abuja
Declaration,
the
government
must
allocate
at
least
15
percent
of
its
total
budget
to
the
health
sector.
Luveve-Makhandeni
constituency
MP,
Discent
Bajila,
who
sits
on
the
health
committee,
said
the
sector
needs
at
least
17
million
to
buy
adequate
medicines.
“The
first
thing
that
the
Finance
Minister
must
do
is
to
disburse
the
Health
Budget
fully.
Allocating
resources
only
to
refuse
to
disburse
them
is
an
act
of
grandstanding
and
sabotage.
Sabotaging
healthcare
is
genocide.
Secondly,
more
focus
should
be
in
capacitating
NATPHARM
to
meet
the
country’s
monthly
needs
for
medicines,”said
Bajila.
“SIRDC
also
needs
to
be
capacitated
to
conduct
health
research
using
local
Contemporary
samples.
Lastly,
access
to
sexual
and
reproductive
health
services
needs
lots
of
attention
for
Zimbabwe
to
make
its
contribution
to
the
elimination
of
HIV/AIDS.”
The
Zimbabwe
Coalition
on
Debt
and
Development
(ZIMCODD)
noted
that
the
resources
earmarked
for
health
are
not
sufficient
to
finance
the
attainment
of
the
policy
goals
and
objectives
stated
in
the
National
Health
Strategy
(NHS)
(2021
–
2025),
as
outlined
in
the
Investment
Case
for
the
NHS
(2021-2025).
“The
allocation
falls
short
of
the
bare
minimum
of
earmarking
at
least
15%
of
the
budget
to
health
as
agreed
under
the
Abuja
Declaration.
The
2025
National
Budget
will
be
unable
to
fund
the
country’s
monthly
requirements
for
medicines.
Our
people
will
continue
to
rely
on
hope
and
religion
for
their
healing
needs,”
ZIMCODD
stated.