HEALTH and Child Care minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa has appointed a six member executive board for the Health Services Board (HSB) which will oversee operations and welfare of all the employees under the health sector.
By Michael Gwarisa
Launching the board, Minister Parirenyatwa urged members to work hard to ensure the board turns around fortunes of the health sector which is in dire need of revival.
“This is a very special day, we used to be all under the public service commission and then there was a a commission set up by the then President in 1998 where they did a review of the health system and one of the recommendations was that there be a health services commission. At that time we were struggling so hard to put a commission similar to this because issues of the health sector are so unique so we sought to stay away from the public service commission so that whatever we do, we can argue that its for the health sector.
“We were not quite successful in getting a commission, we got a board which essentially has the same functions as a commission because it is now responsible for all the employees in the health sector whether professionally health or non health. The board still has functions to do, they have to take in all the local authorities health personnel and the churches to be under the board so we still have some work to do,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
The first board was appointed in 2005 which was chaired by Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa up until recently when the board was dissolved under unclear circumstances. The new board consists of a full time executive chairperson, not less than three full time and not more than two part timers appointed by the ministers. The majority will be chosen by the minister based on their ability and capacity to deliver good results.
“Since that time when we inaugurated the first board in 2005, the chairperson was Dr Mbengeranwa who has been the chairperson since then with various changes below him. Now we have reached a stage where we then said no lets work again and revitalize the board so that it becomes stronger. It was strong we need it continue to be stronger.
“So you as a new board, as we inaugurate you we want you to start work immediately, as i leave here we want to you to have a board meeting. You have four weeks without a board and that is not good.”
The new board Chair is Dr Paulinos Ncube, a public health expert, and is deputized by Professor Auxilia Munodawafa, other members include Human Resources Expert Memory Nguwi (Part Time), Mrs Sefe Bhebe a Monitoring and Evaluation expert (M&E), Dr Stanley Mungofaa Physician and Mercy Gwaunza legal expert (Part time).