By Archford Chirimudombo
Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government remains focused on strengthening procurement, financing, regulation, and supply chain management of medicines, with availability in public health facilities reportedly at about 54 percent, against a national target of at least 80 percent, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Officially opening the national kick-off workshop to operationalise the participation of Zimbabwe in the Pfizer Accord for a Healthier World in Harare on Monday, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said the government is targeting to close the gap.
“A health system cannot be resilient if patients cannot obtain the medicines they need, when they need them, at a cost they can afford. Government therefore continues to intensify efforts to improve the availability, affordability and equitable distribution of essential medicines. Currently, availability in our public health facilities stands at approximately 54 percent, against our national target of at least 80 per cent.
“Sometimes, our patients are told that the doctor is available, the pharmacist is available, but unfortunately the medicine is not available! We must close that gap,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said access to essential medicines and vaccines is one of the fundamental pillars of a resilient health system, as recognised in the World Health Organization’s health system building blocks.
“Alongside health service delivery, the health workforce, health information, health financing and leadership and governance, it is indispensable to achieving Universal Health Coverage. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us important lessons about the vulnerabilities of global pharmaceutical supply chains, international competition and restrictions on exports. It demonstrated that pharmaceutical security is also a matter of national health security. We must learn from the experiences of others, particularly the importance of preparedness, diversified supply sources, cooperation and strengthening our own pharmaceutical capacity,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora reflected that the global health financing environment is evolving, with development assistance becoming increasingly constrained as traditional partners reassess their priorities, saying this called for countries to rethink how they mobilise resources and secure sustainable access to essential medicines and health technologies.
He said Zimbabwe appreciates the contribution of its development partners and remains committed to building a diversified and sustainable resource base through domestic investment, private sector participation, local pharmaceutical production and strategic international partnerships.
“It is in this context that the Pfizer Accord becomes particularly relevant. It offers an opportunity to leverage global expertise, innovation and mutually beneficial cooperation to improve access to affordable medicines while strengthening our pharmaceutical systems,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said Zimbabwe’s broader strategy to improve access to safe, quality and affordable medicines rests on several complementary interventions that include the strengthening of NatPharm’s procurement, forecasting, warehousing and distribution capacity to ensure medicines reach the facilities where they are needed.
The government is also strengthening the regulatory oversight of the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) to ensure all medicines meet required standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.
In February this year, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfizer under the Accord for a Healthier World, and the workshop provided an opportunity to translate this commitment into practical arrangements that will deliver tangible benefits to the people.
Launched in May 2022, the Pfizer Accord for a Healthier World seeks to address inequalities in access to medicines and vaccines in lower-income countries.
Through the initiative, Pfizer makes available a range of its patented medicines and vaccines, including current and future products for which it holds global rights, on a not-for-profit basis.
For Zimbabwe, this presents an opportunity to improve access to innovative treatments for priority conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and infectious diseases.
New Ziana
