'Government has misplaced its priorities towards the health sector'

Health stakeholders have called on the government to get its priorities right by improving budget allocations towards the health sector, embarking on private public partnerships and plugging leakages within the sector.

The experts said if the government sets its priorities right, citizens' access to facilities would be improved, thus ensuring quality health service delivery.

The Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA) President, Dr Agnes Mahomva said private public partnerships should be taken seriously as they have been successfully implemented in other countries with better results.

"Government has for some time now misplaced its priorities regarding the provision of health facilities and services. Even workers need to be looked after," she said.

Zimbabwe has failed to allocate the health sector the 15 percent requirement as espoused by the Abuja Declaration, with the sector getting an average 7 percent.

Community Working Group on Health Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said budget allocations to health should be increased.

Health and Child Care Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Dr Ruth Labode believes fraud and mismanagement of funds, wrong and misplaced priorities and leakages could be bleeding the sector.

The constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees the rights to health in Chapter 4 sections 76 and 77 where it states that every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to have access to basic health-care services.

Every person living with a chronic illness has the right to have access to basic healthcare services for the illness according to the constitution.