Community Working Group on Health Caroline A Mubaira Zimbabwe

Community Working Group on Health

Following a six week strike by health professionals; a group of organisations identified that community participation was a top down phenomenon, inadequately driven by an uninformed and public, with inadequate mechanisms for community participation in health, yet decline in quality of health services.

Community Working Group on Health Thus CWGH began a programme of work to disseminate information and organize civic members on health in 1998.

Community Working Group on Health CWGH is a network of 35 organisations that strives to be a leader in the achievement of equity and accessibility in health and wellness for communities through an empowered membership through community participation in Health.

CWGH MOTTO Health is your Right and Responsibility

All for Health

Programmes Civic education programme Gender, HIV and Aids Programme Adolescent Reproductive Health Education Programme

Civic education programme Aims at exchanging and sharing information on current developments within health systems Focuses on the most common health problems experienced by rural and urban people in Zimbabwe Makes input of community perspectives, positions and experiences to statutory health structures at national level, including commissions of inquiry and health boards

Civic Education on Health Advocacy – lobbying the parliamentary health portfolio committee and other relevant equality with position papers based on good practices and mobilization of district health committees Raise concerns, issues and positions with health care providers at local and central level

Community Working Group on Health CWGH has a vision that seeks to transform the health delivery system of Zimbabwe Our approach is to change the mindset of people regarding health by stimulating communities to get into self drive and be able to recognize health challenges and act on them

How CWGH Organises People for Health Organizing People’s power for Health Championing Peoples’ Power for Health Strengthening people’s Power for Health Consolidating People’s Power for Health

Community Working Group on Health

Chikwaka Health Centre Committe

Bindura Nyava Health Centre Committe

Gweru CWGH

How CWGH Organises for Health Lobby government to align its budgetary allocations in line with commitments made in different agreements e.g. Abuja Declaration (2001) Write position papers to policy makers startng from grassroot level

Cont…… CWGH members in district carry out research on Health Basket….. Compile cost of health Engage MP’s and health authorities Pre-Budget meetings Organize the People to take up there own activities

Organising For Health Allocation to include parameters such as disease burden, population density etc not per province Analyse other policies that can be bottleneck to health services or where health services can be improved and make necessary recommendations, e.g. Health Services Board

Challenges Political Interference Declining economy changing mindset of people Priorities of ARMY vs Health

PHC was incorporated into health policy and development plans… but…… Rapid urbanisation Emergence and re-emergence of communicable and non-communicable diseases Especially HIV

Low investments Increased disparities in access to basic social services Conflicts Adverse external conditions Poor governance Declining national economic performance High debt burden Deteriorating terms of trade

Food Shortages Increased levels of malnutrition Literacy Zimbabwe had a good educational policy, but now there are problems POVERTY 50% living on <$1/day increased in the last five years

COMPULSORY LICENSING Declaration of Period of Emergency HIV/AIDS Notice 2002 Declaration of period of emergency to enable the state or person authorised by the Minister; a) To make or use any patented drug, including any retroviral drugs, used in the treatment of persons suffering from HIV?AIDS or HIV related conditions; b) To import any generic drug used in the treatment of persons suffering from HIV/AIDS or HIV/AIDS related conditions

Therefore…….. 3 Zimbabwean companies have been granted licences to manufacture or import generic alternative ARVs ARVsmore available in the public and private sector Drug price has also become significantly cheaper than other imported brand drugs Backdrop of foreign currency shortages/ hyperinflation- a scenario where most people cannot afford medicines

Future Plans Launch the National People’s Health Movement Continue with our campaign on Rights to Health Celebrate 30 years of Alma Arta together with 10 th Anniversary of CWGH

You Can Visit 114 McChlery Avenue Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe. Tel: +263(04) / / Fax: +263 (04) Regional Offices 706 Old Mutual Building 7th Floor, Old Mutual Building Cnr Jason Moyo/ 8th Avenue Bulawayo, Zimbabwe