By Kuda Pembere
Efforts are underway to establish a National Public Health Institute (NPHI) for Zimbabwe to help avert and manage epidemics and pandemics in the country, a senior government official said on Friday.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said this while addressing the Health development partners’ coordination forum meeting.
Furthermore, the ministry is in the process of establishing a national institute for public health to assist government in the prevention and control of pandemics,” he said.
The NHPI, he said, is being established with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union.
“I am grateful to WHO and the EU for supporting initial phases of this exercise,” he said.
The Health Minister also said the country has gone for 13 days without recording a case.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank all development partners for supporting government in financing the health sector.
“The ministry has been grappling to control the cholera outbreak and this is currently under control. I should actually say we now have at least 13 days with zero cases in the whole country,” Dr Mombeshora said.
The WHO Representative to Zimbabwe Dr Desta Tiruneh commended the Health Ministry for this step noting it shows its commitment to have a resilient health system.
“Moreover, I would like to applaud the Ministry’s desire in establishing a National Public Health Institute. This move is a significant step towards enhancing Zimbabwe’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.
“It underscores the commitment to building a resilient health system capable of addressing both current and future challenges,” he said.
Dr Tiruneh he however said it was important to fortify the country’s health surveillance systems.
“The successful containment of the recent cholera outbreak is a notable achievement that cannot go unmentioned. The response by the Ministry of Health prevented a potentially devastating situation from escalating further.
