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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Health Reporter

In a bid to improve service delivery and accountability, six parastatals under the Ministry of Health and Child Care on Friday signed performance contracts with the Government.

This comes on the back of the signing of performance contracts by Ministers and heads of public institutions last month, which was presided over by President Mnangagwa.

Parastatals that signed contracts include the National Aids Council, the Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe and the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm).

The performance contracts outline specific targets and goals that each parastatal is expected to achieve within a specified period.

These targets include improving healthcare services, reducing waiting times, increasing patient satisfaction, and enhancing overall efficiency.

Speaking at the ceremony, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, emphasised the importance of performance contracts in ensuring that public institutions were held accountable for their actions.

He also stressed the need for transparency and good governance in the healthcare sector.

“Government seeks to accelerate attainment of National Development Strategy goals, and indeed as the health sector, we are geared to play our part.

“Parastatals under our Ministry play a critical role in fulfilling the Ministry’s mandate. The contracts spell out key deliverables expected this year, 2024,” he said.

Dr Mombeshora reiterated the ministry’s commitment to institutionalise Government’s Integrated Results Based Management system.

The contracts signed by the chairpersons of the six parastatal boards will be reviewed bi-annually, while performance contracts for the chief executive officers of the parastatals will be reviewed quarterly.

Dr Mombeshora said he would be meeting with each organisation at least twice a year to review progress in the attainment of the targets set within the contracts.

MCAZ chairman Dr Mishek Chiware reiterated the parastatals’ commitment to meeting the targets set out in the performance contracts and highlighted the importance of working together with the Government to improve healthcare services for all.

“As the heads of six parastatals, we have signed contracts, which will give us accountability and responsibility for the performance of these parastatals.

“This is a testimony of our commitment to support the ministry and we assure you that our different parastatals will work tirelessly to make sure that as far as the health services are concerned, and the Ministry of Health as a whole, we will one day win. All this depends on us as far as that performance is concerned,” he said.

MCAZ is concerned with the proliferation of unregistered medicines and drugs, which are fuelling the drug and substance abuse scourge.

Dr Chiware said MCAZ was prepared to investigate all drugs that are in the market to ensure that people were using safe medicines.