Healthcare stakeholders ponder healthcare ecosystem

The Healthcare Ecosystem and Quality of Life is the theme of this year's Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) Annual Stakeholders' Conference, which takes place at the Kingdom Hotel in Victoria Falls this week, from Wednesday (September 6) to Saturday (September 9).

The theme emphasises the role that different players in the health sector, including the patients themselves, play in promoting good health, which is so important for a person's quality of life.

Participants are drawn from across the healthcare sector, including both healthcare service providers and healthcare funders.

The working part of the conference begins on Thursday, with the Wednesday devoted to delegate registration and a golf tournament. The conference facilitator, Ms Tsitsi Mutasa, opens the working session by addressing the topic "Functional Health Ecosystem in an Era of Constant Change".

Economist Dr Arnold Chidakwa will speak on the country's economic outlook, which will be followed by discussion.

This will be followed by Competition and Tariffs Commission of Zimbabwe economist Earnest Manjengwa speaking on the interface between competition and inclusive growth in the healthcare sector.

Health and Child Care Ministry finance director Heather Machamire will speak on the National Health Accounts for 2015, while AHFoZ chief executive Shylet Sanyanga will give an industry update.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa is due to officially open the conference after this.

There will be a panel discussion on the regulatory framework for medical aid societies. Participants in the panel discussion include legislators Jessie Majome and Paul Chimedza, who are both members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health.  Other members of the panel include representatives of the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC), the Ministry of Health and Child Care and AHFoZ.

College of Primary Healthcare Physicians of Zimbabwe president Dr Edward Chagonda will speak on effective gatekeeping and wellness. The day's proceedings end with Mr Roland Christian, of Afrocentric Solutions South Africa, speaking on providing opportunities for improving healthcare by connecting technology platforms.

On Friday morning National Social Security Authority general manager Elizabeth Chitiga will speak on the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme, while Dr Clarence Mini, of the Board of Healthcare Funders - South Africa, will speak on National Health  Insurance (NHI) reforms in South Africa.

There will be a panel discussion on strengthening community participation in health, followed by a presentation by Dr P. Ramlachan, of the KwaZulu Natal Doctors Healthcare Coalition, on the South African experience of demystifying healthcare costs.

Liberty Health member care divisional director Dr Numaan Mohamood will speak on "Clinical Governance, Evidence-Based Medicine and Funder-Provider Collaboration".
There will be a panel discussion on "Serving the New Healthcare Consumer - Thrifty, Savvy and More Complex", in which representatives of various health sector organisations will participate.

After a summary of the conference proceedings, AHFoZ will hand over a donation to the Rose of Charity Children's Home.