Annual Report 2016
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ZIMBABWE NETWORK FOR HEALTH – EUROPE (ZimHealth) (RÉSEAU ZIMBABWÉEN POUR L’ACCÈS À LA SANTÉ) ANNUAL REPORT 2016 MARCH 2017 Chairperson’s Foreword This is the 9th year in the work of Zimbabwe Network for Health in its mission to support rehabilitation of public health facilities and sustain universal access and coverage with public health services based on our vision for better health for all Zimbabweans. This is my second year as chairman. I continue to provide institutional continuity required with changing ZimHealth executive. There has been need to proactively reach out to all Zimbabwean and friends of Zimbabwe who have very busy work and personal life but continue to participate in the work of the Executive, ZimHealth activities and events. In 2016, ZimHealth major project activities continued to focus on the US$1.2 million Mabvuku Polyclinic expansion in Harare City with the new construction occupation certificate provided in October 2016. This is being followed up with procurement and supply of medical equipment and recruitment and training of health staff to start theatre operations ZimHealth partnered with Ark Zimbabwe to support the rehabilitation of the floors and sluice rooms for the Mpilo Central Hospital maternity theatre and training of staff in infection control. The ZimHealth team continued to follow-up on the 24 ongoing projects with monitoring and evaluation visits to Zvamabande District Hospital-Shurugwi, Chinengundu Clinic-Chegutu, Nyamhunga Clinic - Kariba and Chikangwe Clinic- Karoi. New projects were jointly identified with Zimbabwe Association of Church Hospitals (ZACH) and some local authorities and government hospitals in 14 sites. Proposals have been developed and resource mobilization is underway. Communication and publicity has been a great success with more outreach through social media with a upgrading of our web site and continuous updating of Facebook. Two major successful fund raising events were conducted in Zurich and Geneva. Support from Zimbabwe Tuku Music icon Oliver Mtukudzi and Zimbabwean poet Albert Nyathi has increased the interest and support for ZimHealth as a bridge between artists and health workers in jointly mobilizing for a public health campaign for health for all and freedom from disease. Although there is a large broad based ZimHealth network the core membership continues to be small with an executive committee and administration of volunteers. The 2016 executive committee members continue with a high level of dedication and commitment, in spite of heavy professional work load, study programmes and day to day family commitments. There is an urgent need to consider in the future a more consistent ZimHealth administration support. We continued to work with our core development partners Oak Foundation, ELMA philanthropies and Higher Life Foundation on consolidation of past projects. We look forward to reach out to new partners The greater motivation for the work of ZimHealth goes to many individuals and institutions at ZimHealth project sites who continue to lead and take forward all the support towards providing quality health service to all the people in need for health services. We give special thanks to the different individuals who are always there in the shadows rapidly mobilizing to support ZimHealth activities and events and make them a success. Dr. Shiva Murugasampillay Chairperson - ZimHealth 1 Table of Contents Chairperson’s Foreword .................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 Status of Health and Health Services in Zimbabwe ........................................................................................... 4 Projects .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Resource Mobilization ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Publicity, Communication and Membership: .................................................................................................. 14 Administration ................................................................................................................................................. 15 Finance ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 The year ahead ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Partnerships ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Annex 1: 2016 Financial Report ....................................................................................................................... 17 Annex 2: ZimHealth Executive Committee, 2016/17 ...................................................................................... 23 2 Introduction Founded in 2008 by Zimbabweans living in Europe, ZimHealth operates as a non-governmental, non-profit association with a vision to act as an apolitical, non-partisan network that links Zimbabweans, benefactors and beneficiaries so as to restore quality health services, easily accessible to all, in Zimbabwe. The objectives of ZimHealth are to Inform, educate and communicate the status and needs of the Zimbabwe public health delivery system to all Zimbabweans in Switzerland and the rest of Europe, as well as to the European public. Raise funds and other support from individuals in Switzerland and the rest of Europe and from private corporations and international, multi-lateral and bilateral agencies. Distribute equitably funds and materials to health services in all provinces and districts of Zimbabwe, as far as resources allow. The ZimHealth 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan outlines the following intervention areas as key priorities for the organization during this five-year period; Advocacy, communication, and catalysing support for Zimbabwe public health system Replacement of essential medical and other equipment in public health facilities Renovation and rehabilitation and expansion of public health infrastructure Support for Infection control and water and sanitation Support for Zimbabwe health work force development with special focus on international exposure. The major activity in 2016 was the finalization of the Mabvuku project which started in 2015. A number of social mobilization activities were undertaken to raise awareness of ZimHealth among Zimbabweans and friends of Zimbabwe in the diaspora and within the country. The year also saw ZimHealth being nominated for the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards Community Organization award testifying to the ZimHealth brand recognition. Two fundraising events were organized in Geneva and Zurich. The Geneva event took the form of a music concert graced by the Zimbabwe superstar Oliver Mutukudzi. It was also the first time ZimHealth organized a fundraising event outside of Geneva. The mandate is executed through the services of an executive committee of volunteers thereby avoiding administrative and operating costs and investing all donations towards procurement of clinical, surgical and other commodities for the refurbishment of health facilities in Zimbabwe. This mandate is conferred to the executive committee annually during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) when the annual and financial report are presented as well as proposals for new projects and other proposals for resolution that are brought before the membership. An executive committee is elected and given the mandate to implement the AGM resolutions. This report summarizes the activities undertaken by ZimHealth in 2016, highlighting successes, challenges and lessons learnt. The report is presented to the AGM as a statutory requirement of the ZimHealth Constitution and submitted to the Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) as part of the NGO registration renewal requirement. 3 Status of Health and Health Services in Zimbabwe Access to maternal health services remains a challenge in Zimbabwe more so among the poorer women. The most recent survey in 2015 showed that 93% of pregnant women attended antenatal care at least once and when considering the recommended minimum four visits the proportion of women accessing “adequate” antenatal care services drops to 76%. The same survey reported that 77% of women who had a live birth in the five years preceding the survey delivered in a health facility with quite some disparity by wealth. Among the poorest women 61% of women delivered in a health facility contrasted with 95% among the richest. While trends in maternal mortality took a turn for the better, the annual rate of decline in between 2010 and 2015 was 0.1%. The maternal mortality in 2015 remains slightly higher than the 1990 levels, 443 per 100,000 live births compared to 440 per 100,000 live births respectively. It is against this background that ZimHealth sought to support health facilities providing maternal health services to contribute to access among the disadvantaged population. The focus for ZimHealth has traditionally been maternal health services and infection control but in 2016, the new